White Collar Crime

Infomercial pitchman Kevin Trudeau gets 10 years in criminal contempt case over diet-book claims

Showing no sympathy for the current situation of a television infomercial pitchman said to have earned—and lost—some $37 million as a result of diet-book sales and other ventures, a federal judge in Chicago on Monday blasted Kevin Trudeau and sentenced him to 10 years in prison for criminal contempt. Described…

Mar 18, 2014 7:00 PM CDT

Former Spector Gadon associate admits to $500K client theft, pleads guilty to wire fraud

A former associate of Spector Gadon & Rosen pleaded guilty Monday to one count of wire fraud in federal court in Philadelphia, admitting that he had stolen a total of more than $500,000 from four of the firm’s clients. Gomer Thomas Williams III, 54, resigned from the state bar in…

Mar 17, 2014 9:30 PM CDT

Attorney pleads guilty, says he bribed judge for favorable case rulings

A Texas lawyer pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in San Antonio, saying that he had paid a state district court judge less than $10,000 for favorable rulings in cases. Alberto “Al” Acevedo Jr., 60, could get a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he…

Mar 17, 2014 4:55 PM CDT

Honors Georgetown law grad, 29, retains 6th Circuit clerkship despite being charged in Dewey case

News that former leaders of Dewey & LeBoeuf had been criminally charged concerning the collapse of the once-mighty New York-based law firm wasn’t a major surprise to those who had been following the firm’s bankruptcy and claims of mismanagement by angry partners. In fact, the firm’s chairman, executive director and…

Mar 14, 2014 9:25 PM CDT

Indicted lawyer used client to impersonate his own mother in $100K loan fraud, authorities say

Arrested last week as he flew into New York from Istanbul, a 39-year-old suspended Missouri lawyer was charged with bank fraud and identity theft in a federal indictment that was unsealed after his apprehension. Authorities said at the time that Jeffrey Witt had gotten a female client to impersonate a…

Mar 13, 2014 9:53 PM CDT

Former law firm name partner will plead guilty in election-law case, his attorney says

A plea of not guilty to a federal election-law violation was entered Thursday by a former name partner of the now-shuttered South Florida law firm headed by convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein. However, Russell Adler is already scheduled to plead guilty early next month in the election-law case, the Sun…

Mar 13, 2014 6:00 PM CDT

2 lawyers indicted for extortion, accused of using arrest threat to seek purported fees from client

Corrected: Two Tennessee lawyers have been indicted by a grand jury Wednesday in an extortion case. They are accused of pressuring a client several years ago to pay $50,000 in probate case legal fees she had not agreed to pay by threatening her with arrest. Attorneys Carrie Gasaway and Fletcher…

Mar 12, 2014 7:40 PM CDT

3 plead guilty in attempt to pay $1.2M bribe to federal judge in cartel money-laundering case

Three Mexican citizens have pleaded guilty in a failed attempt to pay a $1.2 million bribe to a federal judge hearing a drug cartel money-laundering case in Austin, Texas. Court documents say Judge Sam Sparks didn’t know about the attempted bribe before he sentenced Francisco Colorado Cessa in September, because…

Mar 12, 2014 6:19 PM CDT

Actor and Hollywood producer, both lawyers, indicted over tax credits for film house rehab

A Hollywood producer and entertainment lawyer and a Tulane University Law School graduate who is also an actor and producer have been federally indicted, accused of submitting fraudulent documentation to obtain Louisiana tax credits under a program that is intended to encourage the film industry in the state. Peter M.…

Mar 11, 2014 3:50 PM CDT

Name partner of shuttered Fla. law firm faces criminal case, wants to ‘get on with his life’

A name partner of the shuttered Florida law firm led by imprisoned swindler Scott Rothstein has been criminally charged with conspiracy to violate federal election laws. Russell Adler was charged in a criminal information filed by federal prosecutors in Fort Lauderdale, which usually signifies that the defendant is cooperating with…

Mar 7, 2014 7:55 PM CST

Disbarred lawyer charged with client insurance settlement theft is jailed after return from Taiwan

A now-disbarred lawyer charged in December with stealing a significant portion of a client’s $500,000 insurance settlement has returned from Taiwan to defend the case. Edward Joseph Callow, 39, fled to that country before he was charged on Dec. 12, along with a Nationwide insurance claims adjuster. Callow returned after…

Mar 7, 2014 5:05 PM CST

Lawyer gets one year in federal prison for his role in $14M mortgage fraud

A Pennsylvania lawyer has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his role in a $14 million mortgage fraud that stripped homeowners in a suburban Philadelphia county of their equity. Stephen G. Doherty was also ordered to forfeit $202,000 by U.S. District Judge Mary A.…

Mar 5, 2014 8:25 PM CST

Once-prominent lawyer gets 5 years in federal prison for stealing $2.4M from clients

A once-prominent South Carolina lawyer was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison on Wednesday for stealing $2.4 million from clients. The defense had asked that Richard Breibart be sentenced only to the 18 months he had already served in the mail fraud case, saying that he is sick and…

Mar 5, 2014 5:10 PM CST

Lawyer who inserted client names into 100 asbestos suits to get defense fees takes wire-fraud plea

A New Jersey attorney who admittedly inserted names of his law firm’s clients into more than 100 actual asbestos cases filed in New York to generate defense fees has pleaded guilty in a federal wire fraud case. Arobert C. Tonogbanua, 44, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and…

Mar 4, 2014 10:35 PM CST

Closing attorney gets 7 months, must repay $2.1M in loan-fraud case

A Texas lawyer got seven months in federal prison and was ordered to repay $2.1 million after pleading guilty last year to misprision of a felony in a real estate loan-fraud case. Jerry Goh, 51, was sentenced Monday in Dallas in the Northern District of Texas case. He has until…

Feb 26, 2014 9:35 PM CST