Well-Known Criminal Defense Lawyer Is Charged with Laundering $225K in Alleged Drug Proceeds
A prominent Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer was arrested at his home today and charged in a money-laundering case.
Robert George, 56, is accused of conspiring to launder or actually laundering $225,000 in alleged drug proceeds—with the help of a mortgage company owner—over a two-year period. He pleaded not guilty in federal court in Boston this afternoon and was later released on $50,000 bail, according to the Associated Press and the Boston Globe.
He also faces a structuring charge related to his having allegedly made two smaller deposits to an account to avoid a $10,000 threshold for bank reporting of transactions to the federal government.
George, who pleaded not guilty to all charges today, is represented by attorneys Kevin Reddington and Rosemary Scapicchio. Scapicchio denounced the feds’ investigation of her client and said little or no punishment is meted out to federal prosecutors who violate the law and rules of legal ethics, the Globe reports.
“In this case, they are investigating a criminal defense attorney who is out there protecting people’s rights,’’ says Scapicchio, calling the case against George “outrageous.’’
The Boston Herald reports that the feds say they have video and audio footage of money-laundering deals involving George.
The Herald also provides a link to the complaint (PDF) in the District of Massachusetts case.
