Norman Hsu Update

I haven't really been following this story too closely since I first posted about it a few weeks ago. But now that Hsu's actually made his first court appearance, I thought it was time for an update.

Here's a brief synopsis of the story thus far:

- Since Norman Hsu, a top Democratic fundraiser, was discovered to be a 15-year fugitive, most of the Democrats who received his funds have given the money to charity. Hillary Clinton has donated $850,000 of Hsu-donated money to charity.

- Hsu was "on the lam" for skipping a 1992 court date for a grand-theft conviction. On September 5 of this year, Hsu missed a court date "where he was supposed to surrender his passport and ask that half his bail be returned." Hsu's bail was $2 million.

- On September 6 Hsu's lawyers reported that he attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. The Wall Street Journal reports on Hsu's suicide note.

- In the hospital during his overdose recovery, Hsu admitted to FBI agents that he conducted another Ponzi scheme, much larger than the one he did in California 15 years ago, the one he was convicted of. In this scheme, Hsu took $60 million from investors to fund nonexistent companies. In 1992 he only stole $1 million.

- Hsu's lawyers say that the confession is invalid because Hsu was suffering from several "infirmities" and not yet recovered. They also point out that no lawyer was present during the confession.

The most interesting part about this case is that Hsu's lawyers are accusing the California government of neglecting to hunt down Hsu because he's been donating to California Democrats for the past 15 years. Also, since the judge from Hsu's 1992 case has retired, Hsu's lawyers say that Hsu cannot legally be sentenced by another judge.

Hsu's laywers are currently asking for a new trial.