These sealed indictments are completely secret. Therefore any individual (usually multiple people) named on each indictment does NOT know that there are pending charges against them. This same tactic was quite effective against the mafia since the snitches and moles in the courts wouldn't have foreknowledge of pending charges.
In other words, the criminal is none-the-wiser, continues their illegal activities and is not inclined to flee the country or silence any witnesses. Keeping them sealed helps prosecutors & investigators to identify other peripheral criminals and then indict them as well.
It's a GIANT sting operation and hardly anyone knows who's been indicted.
I have always thought that this was/is fascinating. But, I don't really understand what it means. Can anyone explain?
These sealed indictments are completely secret. Therefore any individual (usually multiple people) named on each indictment does NOT know that there are pending charges against them. This same tactic was quite effective against the mafia since the snitches and moles in the courts wouldn't have foreknowledge of pending charges.
In other words, the criminal is none-the-wiser, continues their illegal activities and is not inclined to flee the country or silence any witnesses. Keeping them sealed helps prosecutors & investigators to identify other peripheral criminals and then indict them as well.
It's a GIANT sting operation and hardly anyone knows who's been indicted.
Thanks for that!