White Collar Crime

Lawyer is accused of creating sham secured creditor to shield client assets

A former partner with Freeborn & Peters in Chicago has been charged in an alleged scheme to protect a client’s assets by creating a sham secured creditor with a senior lien on assets sought by other creditors. The former partner, Edward Lee Filer, was charged in a July 11 federal…

Jul 17, 2019 1:40 PM CDT

Ex-felon’s firm helps wealthy white-collar criminals prepare for their prison sentences

White Collar Advice, based in Calabasas, California, is led by convicted securities broker Justin Paperny. Former federal inmates offer white-collar defendants insights that complement advice from their defense counsel, starting after indictment.

Jun 1, 2019 1:54 AM CDT

Trump pardons former business associate who wrote complimentary book about him

President Donald Trump has issued pardons to a former Republican legislator who backed prison reform and a former business associate who praised him in a book last year. The former business associate is Conrad Black, who was sentenced to 6½ years in prison in 2007 for embezzling millions of dollars…

May 16, 2019 1:07 PM CDT

Lawyer’s identity stolen by scammer asking timeshare sellers to send money for closing

A scammer targeting timeshare owners desperate to sell their properties stole the identity of a Florida lawyer to further his scheme. The scammer would call people who had placed ads to sell their timeshares and tell them their property could be sold if they forwarded closing costs to the lawyer,…

May 9, 2019 1:59 PM CDT

Hedge fund founder jailed after judge says he lunged at federal prosecutor during trial break

Updated: A hedge fund founder on trial for allegedly faking investment gains was sent to jail Monday after prosecutors accused him of trying to intimidate an assistant U.S. attorney during a trial break. U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan revoked bail for Mark Nordlicht, founder of the collapsed hedge fund Platinum…

May 7, 2019 11:50 AM CDT

Socialite grifter convicted, despite help from courtroom stylist; she allegedly fooled law firms

A professional courtroom stylist was unable to win an acquittal for accused socialite grifter Anna Sorokin, who was also accused but not charged with duping three BigLaw firms.

Apr 30, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

‘Humiliated and ashamed’ Paul Manafort sentenced to 47 months in prison

President Donald Trump's former campaign chair Paul Manafort was sentenced Thursday to 47 months in prison for bank and tax fraud, the Washington Post and New York Times report.

Mar 7, 2019 9:25 PM CST

Judge finds Manafort lied to prosecutors after cooperation deal

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, breached a cooperation agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller by lying about his interactions with a Ukrainian business associate who had ties to Russia.

Feb 14, 2019 9:22 AM CST

Trump inaugural committee documents are subpoenaed by federal prosecutors

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have subpoenaed documents from President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee relating to donors, foreign contributions, vendors, contractors, spending and federal disclosure filings.

Feb 5, 2019 9:25 AM CST

How some law firms are affected by the government shutdown

Law firms handling antitrust, capital markets and white-collar defense work are feeling the effects of the partial government shutdown, which has recently become the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

Jan 14, 2019 10:23 AM CST

Lawyer stole money to pay for plastic surgery, overdue income taxes, party with Hawaiian band and more

An Oregon attorney who pleaded guilty to stealing money from client trust accounts and her law firm, and not paying income taxes for six years, was sentenced Thursday to serve 46 months in federal prison. Pamela S. Hediger, who had a Corvallis personal injury practice, was ordered to pay $1.9…

Jan 11, 2019 2:30 PM CST

Michael Cohen says he’s free from ‘personal and mental incarceration’ before getting 3-year sentence

President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, told a Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday that he has been “living in a personal and mental incarceration” since the day he began working for Trump. Cohen, 52, said his weakness was “a blind loyalty to Donald Trump,” but he had moved forward.…

Dec 12, 2018 1:00 PM CST

Special counsel says Michael Cohen has gone to ‘significant lengths’ to aid investigation

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan on Friday filed a sentencing memo recommending a “substantial prison term” for Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, even as the special prosecutor’s office filed a separate memo that said Cohen has gone to “significant lengths” to aid its investigation. Cohen is set to be…

Dec 7, 2018 5:36 PM CST

The wives of white-collar crime: Support group aims to help families and end stigma

Women from four continents learned the hard way that they were married to white-collar criminals. Now their private online support group, the White-Collar Wives Project, is shining a light on damage that white-collar crime can cause the entire family.

Dec 1, 2018 2:25 AM CST

Full disclosures: In the wake of the Mueller investigation, law firms are making sure they comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act

The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires anyone lobbying or doing public relations for a foreign government, company or other entity to register with the Department of Justice and file detailed reports about their work every six months. Violations carry penalties of up to $10,000 and five years in prison.

Dec 1, 2018 2:05 AM CST