Rothstein returns to face fraud questions
A flashy Fort Lauderdale lawyer who investors say fleeced them for hundreds of millions of dollars flew back from Morocco on Tuesday to face federal prosecutors considering criminal charges, the Miami Herald reported.
While Scott Rothstein and his defense attorney, Marc Nurik, held the discussions, a Broward County judge appointed an independent receiver to examine the financial records of Rothstein's law firm, Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler.
Rothstein, 47, had left for Morocco on Friday as news of his alleged investment scam started leaking around Broward County. He came back facing an FBI investigation and the loss of his law firm. The once high-flying firm, formed in 2002, has only $500,000 left in its bank account, a lawyer said.
Rothstein, suspected of running a Ponzi scheme, apparently drained vast sums of money from the firm, his partners say. (story here)
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Do you think Alex Sink will try to get any more money from him before he gets thrown in a cell for life.
Posted by: wow | November 03, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Is it Christmas already? I thought we were going to have to wait until after the Session to enjoy this level of implosive Schadenfreude.
Posted by: I'm crying happy tears | November 03, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Why is Charlie Crist in the orbit of so many Ponzi schemers? Steinger, Mendelsohn, Rothstein. Something is odd here.
Posted by: Concerned for Florida | November 03, 2009 at 11:01 PM
concerned:
don't forget about Chuck's buddy Lou Pealman!
that should tell folks something about the character of Chuckles the Clown Crist.
Taking bundles of money from scam artists like Rothstein and Mendleson.
I've always said Chuck would sell his parents if he could get a fat campaign contribution.
Remember in August. Vote for Marco Rubio.
Posted by: terminator | November 04, 2009 at 07:47 AM
and don't forget about Chuck's former fratboy mate and buddy Harry Sargeant who was indicted for war profiteering!
Chuckles donors=CORRUPTION
Posted by: terminator | November 04, 2009 at 07:51 AM
Concerned:
Why are you surprised? Charlie Crist is the architect of the largest Ponzi scheme going, Citizens Insurance.
Posted by: Jacob | November 04, 2009 at 09:08 AM
William Scheer is suing RRA?
Kendal Coffee is representing RRA?
It cannot be long before Ron Book figures out a way to get into the fray.
Oh, and the Feds are still looking into RRA's role in the Hollywood Cheetah fiasco!
Another Fed investigation is looking into the Hollywood City Commission & the Broward County Commission and RRA’s ties to the commissioners.
A multi-million dollar ponzi scheme that involves a Coral Ridge Golf & Country Club secret investment club whose members will make Rothstein wish he stayed in Morocco!
Is this story from a book, or is this real? (it's real and only going to get uglier!)
Posted by: TICC | November 04, 2009 at 10:59 AM
If these charges are true, first Rothstein was having his clients take lower settlement amounts for employment discrimination cases and having investors pay the clients the lower amount in exchange for the larger future settlements that the clients were legally supposed to get (talk about an ethical conflict). Second, it is now alleged that he was making up cases where there were no real clients and investors were paying fake clients money in exchange for the larger settlement. How can one man do all this? What was everyone else doing at RRA? This makes no sense.
Posted by: Confused in Broward | November 04, 2009 at 01:27 PM
What is truly sad is that Charlie Crist put this man on the Judicial Nominating Commission. Great judge of character, Charlie.
Posted by: spectator | November 04, 2009 at 02:24 PM