New York judge won’t move payday lender’s trial to Kansas City

Richard Moseley Sr., a Kansas City businessman facing criminal charges in New York related to his online payday lending business, cannot have his upcoming trial moved to Kansas City, a judge ruled.

Edgardo Ramos, a judge in the U.S. Southern District of New York, denied Moseley’s request to move his trial to Kansas City, but did allow a delay. Moseley was scheduled to go on trial July 10, but Ramos has now ordered that it begin Nov. 6.

Moseley was indicted on Feb. 10, 2016, in federal court in New York on charges that he ran a $161 million payday lending operation that charged illegal interest rates and, in some cases, issued loans to consumers who never authorized them.

Moseley has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing.

Moseley sought a trial in Kansas City on the basis that some witnesses locally were reluctant to travel to New York to testify and that he is the primary caregiver to his wife, among other reasons. Federal prosecutors countered that Moseley sought a relocation too late after initial charges were filed.

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 2:16 PM with the headline "New York judge won’t move payday lender’s trial to Kansas City."