Judge frees Oregon man in Islamic charity case
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man is being freed from jail after his conviction on money smuggling charges has been thrown into question.
Federal Judge Michael Hogan ruled Wednesday that Pete Seda can be released, under the condition that he wear a GPS device, while his lawyers argue that the conviction should be thrown out or that he get a new trial.
Seda was convicted of tax fraud and conspiracy in what the government said was a plot to send about $150,000 to Saudi Arabia through an Islamic charity he managed in Ashland.
Prosecutors said the money was intended to aid Muslims fighting the Russians in Chechnya.
But after the trial, federal prosecutors acknowledged they didn’t tell defense lawyers about payments made to the husband of a witness and about discussions of paying the witness.