If you've been paying attention the last couple of years, the Mongols have been on a sort of federal probation and that's the club as a whole. The group has about 1,200 members in the United States, most of them Hispanic, and numerous chapters around the world. The club was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine in what prosecutors hoped would be a down payment on putting it out of business. SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Testimony resumed inside an Orange County federal courthouse on Wednesday morning for a hearing in which a judge will decide if the Mongols Motorcycle Club will get a new trial after being convicted of conspiracy and racketeering in 2018. "I think they got David in compromising situations," Yanny tells Eyewitness News. Now the Mongols want a new trial and say their former president, David Santillan, was a confidential informant for the ATF.The explosive allegations come after a secretly recorded video surfaced of Santillan talking to his wife about the lead ATF agent on the case John Ciccone.Eyewitness News has obtained the video that was recorded in June of 2021 when David Santillan was drunk and despondent. Sherdog.com is a property of Mandatory Media, LLC, monitoring_string = "5200e30beed193e5fe31f8bccc2bdcbf". Lil Dave, the president of the Mongols motorcycle club, was caught cheating on his wife s o she decided to revenge his ass by putting this video on Youtube which shows him supposedly. Former Mongols President David Santillan continued to testify. She also said in a text message to other Mongols, now filed with the court, that her husband had acted for a time as a confidential government informant. So, she sent the recording along with a text message to two other members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club. But the group that was once the most powerful biker organization in the West other than its archrivals, the Hells Angels, is returning to court next week, hoping to set aside the racketeering and conspiracy convictions based on what it says is new evidence about its previous leader, David Santillan. The original case attracted widespread attention because of the federal governments unusual attempt to force the Mongols to forfeit their rights to the clubs trademarked logo a drawing of a brawny Genghis Khan-like figure riding a chopper while brandishing a sword and thus relinquish a big source of the organizations mystique. David Santillan tells Eyewitness News that he was in a "really bad place" when the video was recorded and that he's never been disloyal to the Mongols. The club was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine in what prosecutors hoped would be a down payment on putting it out of business. No one at all can keep blaming LEO (Which I do all the time) when there is gang shit happening all the time. Ethan Tate, Meghann M. Cuniff and Lauren Herstik contributed reporting. The unusual legal imbroglio provides a rare glimpse into the hidden and volatile politics of the outlaw motorcycle club and the degree to which law enforcement and its targets may engage in limited cooperation when it is seen as mutually beneficial. agent on the case, John Ciccone, sharing inside information about the club in exchange for lighter penalties for various offenses. If youre going to listen to a dude that does nothing but market gimmicks AKA CULTURE VULTURE, on YouTube, part of the scene with no time in at all, thats on you. Never in my life have I ever implicated anybody in the club for some kind of nefarious activity. It wasnt the entire Mongols Nation that threw him under the bus but a few that fed creators who thought these people were representing the clubs voice. Such an order would allow anyone to use the image. It became clear that Dave had betrayed the club, his oath and everything we hold sacred, the club said in a statement. Then the conversation, which she was. The big Mongol was the first to learn how much Jesse loved to fight, as the gear cut open a savage gash in the big man's face, eyebrow to chin. There could be a particular concern that the defense lawyer was unwittingly receiving directions from someone aligned with the government, he said. I've heard rumours he's also not actually mongolian. That quest to seize the Mongols patch was part of a criminal case brought by the U.S. Attorneys Office in 2013 under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The ultimate implications for society are paramount here, he said. As for Mr. Ciccone, he had mastered the craft of executing complex investigations using everything from undercovers to informants to wiretaps to subpoenas and surveillance, said Frank DAlesio, a retired A.T.F. On Thursday last week, The Suit was downtown at a pre-trial hearing in the case of David Martinez, accused of killing Pomona Police Officer Shaun Diamond in November. "Absolutely not, unequivocally no," says David Santillan. But then he began to talk about now-retired ATF agent John Ciccone, the lead agent on the racketeering case. "I wanted him to feel kind of what I was feeling, the shame and embarrassment and betrayal. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. The government has filed a separate appeal on that issue, seeking a narrower forfeiture order that would take away the clubs right to trademark exclusivity over the logo. Judge Rejects Claim That Mongols Biker Club Leader Was a Rat, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/us/mongols-informant.html. ATF officials view Santillan's public declarations about the club cleaning house as hollow words; they continue to treat the Mongols as a serious threat. Mr. Santillan provided records from the cases to show he had been convicted of offenses including driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and disturbing the peace, and that he had been arrested, fined and put on probation. The explosive allegations come after a secretly recorded video. In another instance, in 2014, Mr. Santillan and his wife got into a brawl with other people at a racetrack, the Mongols filing says. He was the guy outside all the time providing cover support in case something went wrong with the undercovers.. It is the First Amendment issues associated with the case that are most important, Judge Carter said on Thursday, and whether the government has the right to seize control of a trademarked emblem as a way of eliminating a groups ability to operate and recruit. Mongols attorney Joe Yanny says his clients want their 2018 racketeering conviction thrown out or at the very least a new trial. The lawyer in charge of the retrial motion, Joseph A. Yanny, said the Mongols hoped to prove that an improper relationship between Mr. Santillan and Mr. Ciccone during the 2018 trial allowed the government to hear things it should not have about the Mongols defense strategy and even adversely influenced the Mongols presentation of their case. and other law enforcement agencies have long gone after biker organizations by co-opting members as informants and infiltrating the groups with their own undercover agents. The #1 Biker News Website Since 2011-Covering up to minute biker news including Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs & Biker News Worldwide. 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The text reads in part: "You guys need to see this video" and that David "has been working with the government is all [sic] entire time" and that's "why he felt so comfortable to do what he does he is simply a CI In other words he is a rat.". Former Mongols President David Santillan continued to testify. Mr. Santillan provided records from the cases to show he had been convicted of offenses including driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and disturbing the peace, and that he had been arrested, fined and put on probation. In one of them, according to their court papers, Mr. Santillan crashed his Mercedes in 2017 while driving impaired, damaging numerous cars parked on the street. Testimony will help determine if Mongols get new trial. Michael Tyrone Delaney for The New York Times. The U.S. Attorneys Office had earlier tried and failed to force the Mongols to forfeit their rights to the clubs trademarked logo, a drawing of a brawny Genghis Khan-like figure riding a chopper while brandishing a sword, a landmark case that prosecutors felt would help weaken the club by undermining its visual identity. In other words, Ms. Santillan wrote in the text, he is a rat. In the video, played several times during the hearings, Ms. Santillan is talking to her husband on speakerphone when he informs her that Mr. Ciccone will be retiring. He said their communication was for public safety and showed the Mongols that there is ATF presence at their events. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was convicted in late 2018 of racketeering and conspiracy. (You must log in or sign up to reply here. The current national leaders of the Mongols said they were convinced that the clubs former president, who controlled the Mongols defense team, had acted improperly. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. This is the final statement on this because honestly it's mundane and boring. agent. In other words, she wrote, he is a rat.. The indictment did not target any individuals but alleged that the club itself had engaged in an organized conspiracy of crimes such as murder, attempted murder and drug dealing. He cant protect me, he told me, so we have to have an exit strategy, he told me, an apparently agitated Mr. Santillan said to her. In court testimony and in an earlier interview, Ms. Santillan said she had shared the video and the text with the Mongols in an attempt to destroy her husband but had since regretted it; she said she was not being truthful when she claimed he had been an informant. The California motorcycle group had claimed that its former president, David Santillan, was a government informant. This is the final statement on this because honestly its mundane and boring. The judge will most likely consider a series of procedural matters on Monday, lawyers said, with additional hearings expected before any final ruling. The club was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine in what prosecutors hoped would be a down payment on putting it out of business.https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/05/us/mongols-new-trial.html, 00:00 Overview of the New York Times Article01:40 I know I said I wouldnt cover this anymore BUT03:56 Mongols MC Say LIL DAVE was an informant05:44 What the Mongols Rico Case was about07:30 Wheres the paperwork09:26 The explosive video11:50 How long was lil dave a member of the mongols13:47 Why wasnt it done all the time15:47 WOW he cant do this17:14 Usually he had other members with him19:10 The new policies21:44 The leaked strategy, Insane Throttle Support Club Become a memberNow, Insane Throttle/Motorcycle Madhouse Radio YouTube and AudioDisclaimer, Meet the Insane Throttle Contributing Columnist James Hollywood Macecari, Motorcycle Clubs Riding Clubs and Associations Near Me Index &Listings, Our Policies here at Insane Throttle Publications. "He's retiring, he's retiring. Theres a new twist in a federal case already marked by murder and mayhem. The birth of modern-day Mongols came in 1969 in Montebello and the club's website pulls no punches about its beginnings as well as its vision. Eyewitness News asked Santillan what he meant in the video about ATF agent Ciccone "protecting him." Federal prosecutors have been focusing on the Mongols logo since 2008. In 2018, the government scored a victory of sorts. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was convicted in late 2018 of racketeering and conspiracy. Lil Dave is the former International President of the Mongols Motorcycle Club. Both Mr. Ciccone and the U.S. Attorneys Office declined to comment on the motion beyond the government response filed in court, which said the petition for a new trial was replete with false and unsupported allegations and speculation.. "All I wanted to do was to tarnish his image," says Annie Santillan. There was nothing nefarious about it.". That is the conviction and fine the Mongols are now trying to have set aside. Lil Dave, the president of the Mongols motorcycle club, was caught cheating on his wife so she decided to revenge his ass by putting this video on Youtube which shows him supposedly. In the video, Ms. Santillan was talking to her husband on speakerphone when he told her that Mr. Ciccone was retiring. agent, but they failed to persuade a judge to grant a new trial on the racketeering and conspiracy convictions against the club. 02:34 LIL Dave is all over the main stream, 04:10 Why did lil dave not want ciccone on the stand, 06:45 Our invitation for Ciccone to come on the show, 15:14 Mongol Lawyer thinks LIL DAVE WAS COMPROMISED AFRAID AND TURNED ON HIS CLUB. A supervisory special agent with the A.T.F. The California motorcycle group had claimed that its former president, David Santillan, was a government informant. READ ALSO | Was head of OC biker gang a 'rat'? agent over the years because it helped avert trouble. He said they discussed matters such as public safety when the Mongols or other clubs were planning parties or motorcycle rallies to ensure that members stayed in line and that rival groups kept their distance. The unusual legal imbroglio provides a rare glimpse into the hidden and volatile politics of the outlaw motorcycle club and the degree to which law enforcement and its targets may engage in limited cooperation when it is seen as mutually beneficial. Annie tells Eyewitness News that her husband was "spinning out of control" and continued to cheat on her after the phone call. The U.S. Attorneys Office had earlier tried and failed to force the Mongols to forfeit their rights to the clubs trademarked logo, a drawing of a brawny Genghis Khan-like figure riding a chopper while brandishing a sword, a landmark case that prosecutors felt would help weaken the club by undermining its visual identity. He's accused of being a confidential informant and working with the government during the Mongols' trial after his wife, Annie, shared a June 2021 recorded phone conversation with other members of the biker gang calling him a rat. He is a rat, Mr. Santillans wife, Annie, suggested in a text message that became a key piece of evidence in the case against the group, which was founded in Southern California in 1969 and whose members are mostly Hispanic. As for Mr. Ciccone, he had mastered the craft of executing complex investigations using everything from undercovers to informants to wiretaps to subpoenas and surveillance, said Frank DAlesio, a retired A.T.F. A jury sided with the prosecution in 2019 and ordered the group to give up the emblem, but Judge David O. Carter rejected the verdict as an infringement on the clubs constitutional rights. In the call, David Santillan sobs and says he wants to reconcile. After this mistake I realized I went against everything i believed in regarding both sides of the story and said enough of this drama bullshit . He alleges that Santillan sabotaged the trial by not allowing him to call Ciccone to the stand. The current national leaders of the Mongols said they were convinced that the clubs former president, who controlled the Mongols defense team, had acted improperly. Mongols MC President Lil Dave THE REAL AMERICAN CHOLO. Mr. Santillan said it was ridiculous to think that Mr. Ciccone smoothed things over for him. Both Mr. Ciccone and the U.S. Attorneys Office declined to comment on the motion beyond the government response filed in court, which said the petition for a new trial was replete with false and unsupported allegations and speculation.. The only thing he is guilty of is talking to John a lot and having some kind of rapport with him, she said in an interview. Mr. Santillan holding a photo of himself with fellow Mongols members. The Mongols are relying on an explosive video shared by Mr. Santillans wife, Annie Santillan, who, during a stretch when she was angry with her husband over his infidelity, had her daughter record a conversation in which he appeared to refer to protection he had received from the A.T.F. Ms. Santillan said that she now felt horrible about disclosing the communications and that her husband was not, in fact, an informant. The current president of the Mongols Motorcycle Club is David Santillan, a man who claims that the organization has changed its code of conduct to exclude drug abusers and criminals. For more than two decades, federal law enforcement authorities pursued the Mongols, a notorious motorcycle club whose members had a long history of murder, assault, drug dealing and robbery. agent. Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law expert at George Washington University, said that if a federal agent was seeking confidential information about a criminal defense, that would be an extraordinary transgression.. In another instance, in 2014, Mr. Santillan and his wife got into a brawl with other people at a racetrack, the Mongols filing says. John looked out not just for me but the club, Mr. Santillan said. He raps off at the mouth like he actually knows what this scene is all about. A petition for a new trial and reversal of the half-million-dollar fine, which is scheduled for an initial hearing on Monday in the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, Calif., claims that Mr. Santillan, 52, covertly cooperated for years with a special agent from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. AS far as the other dude with the other channel is concerned. The #1 Biker News Website Since 2011-Covering up to minute biker news including Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs & Biker News Worldwide, For more than two decades, federal law enforcement authorities pursued the Mongols, a notorious motorcycle club whose members had a long history of murder, assault, drug dealing and robbery.In 2018, the government scored a victory of sorts.