Two members of Congress, Jim Jordan and James Comer, have issued letters to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and BOP Director Colette Peters seeking information on whether there was interference in John Galanis’ ability to get home confinement. This alleged interference is believed to relate to information Galanis has on his former business partner, Hunter Biden. No response was received to the initial letters, leading to subpoenas for additional documentation being sent to both the BOP and the Southern District of New York.
Galanis is serving a 189-month prison sentence after pleading guilty in 2020 for his involvement in the Gerova and Tribal Bond Schemes. He admits to his crimes and offers to provide information that could implicate others and possibly reduce his sentence, but this offer was rejected by prosecutors. Galanis was interviewed by a congressional delegation on his interactions with Hunter Biden, stating their business partnership and goals to make billions of dollars together.
The CARES Act allowed the BOP to place some inmates on home confinement, but this policy ended nearly a year ago. Galanis was approved for home confinement in California, but after the Committee on Oversight and Accountability announced they would subpoena his co-conspirator, Devon Archer, his approval was reversed. Galanis and his attorney believe SDNY prosecutors interfered to oppose his release, leading Jordan and Comer to seek more information through subpoenas.
Prosecutors across the country had mixed opinions on the home confinement program during COVID-19, with some feeling it reduced prison terms. The BOP maintained that they had the final say on home confinement approvals, despite prosecutors’ input. In their letter to U.S. Attorney Williams, Jordan and Comer suggest that the SDNY may have been retaliating against Galanis for his cooperation with the congressional inquiry, and the subpoenas aim to shed light on this situation. Responses to the subpoenas are due by May 17, 2024.
