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The Sun-Sentinel, owned by the Tribune Company, is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S., and all of Broward County, but circulates throughout all of South Florida.

Overview[link]

For many years, the Sun-Sentinel exclusively targeted Broward County. However, it expanded its coverage to all of South Florida (including the Miami-Dade and Palm Beach areas) in the late 1990s. In the latter area The Palm Beach Post is the main rival of the Sun-Sentinel.

The Sun-Sentinel emphasizes providing local news, through its Community News and Local sections. It has a daily circulation of 226,591 and a Sunday circulation of 319,103.^[1] Although the paper has not won a Pulitzer Prize, it has been a "nominated finalist" numerous times, including its 2005 coverage of Hurricane Wilma and an investigation into the Federal Emergency Management Agency's mismanagement of hurricane aid. (The latter investigation was featured in the PBS documentary series Exposé: America's Investigative Reports in an episode entitled "Crisis Mismanagement.") It also produced a significant contribution to information graphics in the form of News Illustrated, a weekly full-page graphic that has received more than 30 international awards.

The Sun-Sentinel publishes various websites including SunSentinel.com, SouthFlorida.com, SouthFloridaParenting.com, CityLinkMix.com, and TeenlinkSouthFlorida.com. Its website has news video from two South Florida television stations: West Palm Beach's NBC affiliate WPTV and WSFL-TV, the Miami and Fort Lauderdale CW affiliate.

History[link]

The Sun-Sentinel traces its history to the 1910 founding of the Fort Lauderdale Weekly Herald, the first newspaper on record in the Fort Lauderdale area, and the Everglades Breeze, a locally printed paper founded in 1911, which promoted itself as "Florida's great Farm, Truck and Fruit Growing paper."^[2] In 1925, the Everglades Breeze was renamed the Sentinel. That same year, two Ohio publishers bought both the Sentinel and the Herald, consolidating the newspapers into a daily publication called the Daily News and Evening Sentinel.^[3] In 1926, Horace and Tom Stillwell purchased the paper. However, the devastation wrought by the 1926 Miami hurricane caused circulation to drop and, in 1929, Tom Stillwell sold the paper to the Gore Publishing Company, headed by R.H. Gore, Sr. By 1945, circulation of the Daily News and Evening Sentinel had climbed to 10,000.

In 1953, Gore Publishing changed the name of the paper to the Fort Lauderdale News and added a Sunday morning edition. In 1960, when the paper had a circulation of 60,000, Gore Publishing purchased the weekly Pompano Beach Sun. Reviving the "Sentinel" name it had discarded seven years earlier, Gore began publishing a new morning newspaper, the Pompano Sun-Sentinel. In 1963, the Tribune Company acquired Gore Publishing.^[4] In the 1970s, the two newspapers became known as the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel. In 1982, the two papers merged their editorial staffs,^[5] and the newspaper became known as the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. In 2000, after expanding its coverage, the paper changed its name to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

In 2001, the Sun-Sentinel opened its first full-time foreign bureau in Havana, Cuba. Shared with the Tribune Co., their Havana newsroom is the only permanent presence of any South Florida newspaper.

In 2002, the Sun-Sentinel began publishing a Spanish weekly newspaper, El Sentinel. The newspaper is distributed free on Saturdays to Hispanic households in Broward and Palm Beach counties and is also available in racks in both counties. It is also available online at Elsentinel.com. In 2004, the paper won the Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism for its coverage of health and human services in the state.

On August 17, 2008, the Sun-Sentinel unveiled a redesigned layout, with larger graphics, more color, and a new large "S" logo. This is in tune with another Tribune newspaper (Orlando Sentinel), which redesigned its newspaper a few months previously, and created a brand synergy with Tribune sister operation and CW affiliate WSFL-TV (Channel 39), which relocated its operations to the Sun-Sentinel offices in 2008 and adopted a logo matching the capital "S" in the new logo.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site

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Scott W. Rothstein (born June 10, 1962) is a disbarred lawyer and the former managing shareholder, chairman, and chief executive officer of the now-defunct Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm. He was accused of funding his philanthropy, political contributions, law firm salaries, and an extravagant lifestyle with a massive 1.2 billion dollar Ponzi scheme. On December 1, 2009, Rothstein turned himself in to authorities and was subsequently arrested on charges related to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).^[1] Although his arraignment plea was not guilty, Rothstein cooperated with the Government and reversed his plea to guilty of five federal crimes on January 27, 2010.^[2] Rothstein was denied bond by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robin Rosenbaum, who ruled that due to his ability to forge documents, he was considered a flight risk.^[3]

On June 9, 2010, Rothstein received a 50-year prison sentence after a hearing in federal court in Fort Lauderdale,^[4] although federal prosecutors in 2011 filed a motion notifying the court they would be seeking a sentence reduction for Rothstein.^[5]

His firm had 70 lawyers and 150 employees, with offices in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Tallahassee, Florida, New York and Caracas, Venezuela. The firm focused on labor and employment matters, civil rights, intellectual property, internet law, corporate espionage, personal injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and governmental relations.^[6] His client list included: Citicorp, J. C. Penney, Ed Morse Automotive Group, National Beverage, Silversea Cruise Lines, Supra Telecom, and Wells Fargo.^[7] Until he was permanently disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court on November 25, 2009, Rothstein was a member of the Florida Bar and admitted by the United States Supreme Court. He had been given an "AV" peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Rothstein may have stolen millions of dollars from an investment side-business.^[8] A list of 259 persons or corporate entities entitled to $279 million in restitution has been sealed by the court.^[9]

On November 3, 2009, Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Department of the Treasury agents served a warrant to search the firm's Fort Lauderdale offices. Rothstein sent an email in recent weeks to firm lawyers asking them to investigate which countries refused to extradite criminal suspects to either the U.S. or Israel, and firm lawyers responded that Morocco is one such country. Rothstein had wired $16 million to an individual in Casablanca^[10] and left for Casablanca on October 26, 2009. On October 31, 2009, he sent a suicide text message note to all of his law partners:

"Sorry for letting you all down. I am a fool. I thought I could fix it, but got trapped by my ego and refusal to fail, and now all I have accomplished is hurting the people I love. Please take care of yourselves and please protect Kimmie (Rothstein's wife). She knew nothing. Neither did she, nor any of you deserve what I did. I hope God allows me to see you on the other side. Love, Scott."

On November 3, 2009, after many texts by Stuart Rosenfeldt, the president of the firm, urging him to "choose life", Rothstein returned to Fort Lauderdale on a chartered jet, (chartered by the ex-husband of Governor Crist's wife, Todd Rome)^[11] from Casablanca. On November 2, his law firm with only $117,000 in its operating account filed suit against him, asked a judge to dissolve the firm, accusing him of misappropriating hundreds of millions of dollars from investor trust accounts in a Ponzi scheme from an investment business he covertly ran out of his law office.^[12][13]

In 2009 Rothstein resided at the Federal Detention Center, Miami in Downtown Miami,^[14] but was later moved to an undisclosed location and his inmate number removed from the U.S. Bureau of Prison's inmate locator webpage.^[15]

Background and career[link]

Rothstein was born in the Bronx and moved with his parents to Lauderhill, Florida as a teenager. A 1988 Juris Doctor graduate of Fort Lauderdale's Nova Southeastern University's Law School, and a 1984 Bachelor of Arts graduate of University of Florida, Rothstein's law career began in 1988 and for nearly 15 years, he was relatively anonymous. His local mentors were wealthy attorneys, Donald McClosky and Bill Scherer.

In the early 90's, Rothstein first partnered with attorney Howard Kusnick. First located in Plantation, Fl, Kusnick & Rothstein, P.A. subsequently moved to downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Longtime partner Michael Pancier first joined him there.

In 2000, Rothstein joined with Rosenfeldt as a name partner at the Hollywood firm, Phillips Eisinger Koss & Rosenfeldt, P.A., which became known as Phillips Eisinger Koss Rothstein & Rosenfeldt, P.A

In February 2002, Rothstein and Rosenfeldt started their own firm, first known as Rothstein & Rosenfeldt, P.A. Within a month, Pancier was added as a name partner. In July, 2002, adding Susan Dolin, a well-regarded employment lawyer, now practicing on her own in West Broward, the firm became known as Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Dolin & Pancier, P.A..

In late 2004, it became known simply as Rothstein Rosenfeldt, with Adler being added in March 2005. Melissa Britt Lewis, murdered in March, 2008, was with Rothstein from the firm's beginning.^[16] In seven years, he and his partners expanded the firm to 70 lawyers, including former Boca Raton Mayor and sitting Palm Beach County Commissioner Steve Abrams; former judges Julio Gonzalez, Barry Stone, and former Palm Beach circuit judge, William Berger; TV and radio legal commentator and former prosecutor, Ken Padowitz; Carlos Reyes, former South Broward Hospital District commissioner and lobbyist; Arthur Neiwirth, a bankruptcy expert; and Les Stracher, former legal counsel for Morse Auto Group, who represents major auto dealers.^[7]

Others include: Shawn Birken, son of Circuit Court Judge Arthur Birken; Ben Dishowitz, son of County Court Judge Dishowitz; and Grant Smith, son of disgraced former Congressman Larry Smith. Andrew Barnett is Corporate Development Officer, and David Boden, an unlicensed attorney in Florida, was the firm's general counsel.^[17][18]

Recent[link]

On September 8, 2011, U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn granted the government's motion to prohibit videotaping Rothstein during a scheduled deposition of him, citing “serious harm” and “security reasons that are unusual in nature.” The exact reasons for the judges decision were sealed. This fueled speculation that his appearance was altered or he was a mafia target due to his cooperation with the prosecution against the mafia.^[19]

On Wednesday, June 8, 2011, federal prosecutors filed a motion with the sentencing judge informing him that they would be asking for a sentence reduction for Rothstein.^[5]

As of November 18, 2009, many of the associates have relocated: Five lawyers moved to Fort Lauderdale-based Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller. Steven Lippman and Richard Storfer will be new partners. Riley Cirulnick, George Zinkler and Jodi Cohen are new associates.^[20]

In August, 2008, Governor Crist appointed Rothstein as a member of the 4th District Court of Appeal Judicial nominating commission, a body which is responsible for selecting new judges for appointment to the Court.^[21]

Bill Brock accompanied Rothstein to Morocco. His job at the law firm was to issue checks for Rothstein's various ventures and contributions, and had the sole security pass for the area where records of Rothstein's non-law firm businesses were kept.^[22][23]

An observant Jew, Rothstein grew up in a small Bronx apartment, sharing a bedroom with his sister. His father was a salesman "back in the days when you carried a bag up and down the streets of New York." The family moved to Lauderhill, Florida in 1977, when Rothstein was 16. His grandmother used her life savings to help put him through school. "I grew up poor. I'm a lunatic about money."

"I have a deep faith in Judaism that I derive tremendous strength from. Putting on Tefillin is a means of connecting with G-d. It keeps me grounded in a world that can easily cause you to lose your internal balance. Believe me.... I have lost my way enough times to know." – Scott Rothstein, October 23, 2008.^[7]

Rothstein was a large contributor to a synagogue off Las Olas with his name affixed to the front facade: The Rothstein Family Downtown Jewish Center Chabad. Rabbi Schneur Kaplan is one of the two people who talked Rothstein out of committing suicide.^[24]

He invests in residential property. In 2003, he paid $1.2 million for an intracoastal waterfront house on Castilla Isle in Fort Lauderdale. In March 2005, he bought a neighboring home belonging to Miami Dolphins', Ricky Williams for $2.73 million. While living in Williams' old house, he's purchased two other homes on the street and three other homes in Broward for a total residential investment of nearly $20 million. "They call me the king of Castilla."^[6][25]

In 2008, he purchased a $6.45 million waterfront gated Fort Lauderdale home, a $6 million condo in New York in the same building as Marc Dreier,^[26] and a $2.8 million oceanfront estate in Narragansett, Rhode Island^[27] formerly owned by troubled client, Michael Kent, a Fort Lauderdale nightclub owner.^[11]

He is part-owner with Anthony Bova of the South Beach Versace Casa Casuarina mansion, where he was married on January 26, 2008, in a three-day wedding celebration with Governor Crist, and his then-fiancée present wife, Carol Rome, in attendance.^[28] A later financial analysis of the 10% property interest Rothstein owned showed that it was worthless.^[29] His second wife, Kimberly Wendell Rothstein, a 35-year-old real-estate agent helps manage his properties, which also include part-ownership of an office building in Pompano Beach. He and Bova also owned Bova Ristorante, formerly long-time generational Italian family-owned Mario's of Boca, which shut down October 18, 2009. Bova Prime, formerly Riley McDermott's on Las Olas Boulevard is still operating. On September 11, 2008, the day before Rothstein took ownership, a dispute involving firearms broke out at Riley McDermott's involving Rothstein's security personnel.^[30]

He owns parts of an internet technology called company Qtask and V Georgio Spirits Co.,LLC with CEO Vie Harvey and the Renato watch company, with partner, Ovi Levy.^[31] Levy is the son of hotelier Shimon Levy, who spent a year in prison in Israel after hiding a criminal kingpin, suspected of two murders.^[32]

Rothstein at one time was a minority shareholder of Edify LLC, a health-care benefits consulting company. State Representative Evan Jenne-D-Dania Beach is a $30,000 company consultant, who previously worked a local bank. Rothstein hired Jenne's father, former sheriff and convicted felon, Ken Jenne, as a consultant at his law firm days after Jenne was released from prison on corruption charges. An attorney for Rothstein's law firm serves as the registered agent for Evan Jenne's company, Blue Banyan. Grant Smith, a lifelong friend of Evan Jenne's, is an Edify lobbyist. Edify has worked closely with the state Department of Health to develop wellness programs and also influences certain health-care legislation.^[33]

"The Great Gatsby"[link]

In the 2008 interview at his law firm, Rothstein described himself and told how he controlled all aspects of the firm's management:

This is where the evil happens. Look, I sleep in the bed I make. I tend toward the flashy side, but it's a persona. It's just a fucking persona.... People ask me, 'When do you sleep?' I say I'll sleep when I'm dead. I'm a true Gemini. I joke around that there are 43 people living in my head and you never know what you're going to get. There are some philanthropists in there, some good lawyers, and I like to think some good businessmen. There are also some guys from the streets of the Bronx that stay hidden away until I need them. Does that sound crazy? I am crazy, but crazy in a good way.^[25]

His personal office was opulent, with security and a compartmentalized layout. Anyone entering Rothstein's suite of offices had to use an intercom. He could exit, unseen through a second door. In the hallway, an ordinary looking brown door is actually the elevator door. Dozens of surveillance cameras and microphones hang from office ceilings. On his desk: four computer screens and the Five Books of Moses.^[34][35]

Outside his personal office hung a painting of Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The walls of Rothstein's office and other hallways are lined with photos of himself and politicians including Gov. Charlie Crist, former U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, Senator John McCain, Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Lieberman, Bill McCollum, and Dan Marino.^[25][34]

He was ostensibly an affluent and successful attorney with all the material trappings of a flamboyant lifestyle, including armed body guards and police protection. Twenty-eight city police officials, including captains, majors, undercover officers and the department spokesman, helped guard his home and businesses, the only person in the department's history to have permanent round-the-clock off-duty police protection at his home. The department suspended all work for Rothstein on Nov. 2, 2009.^[36][37]

He had a Boeing 727 jet and in 2002, flew Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, and Chris Tucker to Africa on an anti-AIDS mission.^[38] He owns an 87-foot (27 m) $5 million Warren yacht. His fleet of exotic cars included: 1974, 2006, 2007, and 2008 Ferraris, 2009 Bentley, 2007 Silver Rolls-Royce, and one 2008 and two 2010 Lamborghini Murcielagos — worth about $400,000 each, a pair of $1.6 million Bugattis, and a pair of Harleys which he maintains in an air-conditioned warehouse.^[6][25][27] All were allegedly purchased and traded from Euromotorsports, the owner of which has an extensive criminal record.^[39] All were seized shortly after his return from Morocco. He has a watch collection of over 100, valued at $1 million.^[40] In 2008, He was working on opening a cigar and martini bar on Las Olas Boulevard and two high-rise residential buildings in Brooklyn with New York partner Dominic Tonnachio. He was to take ownership of a "series of office buildings" on Oakland Park Boulevard.^[31]

Roger Stone, political trickster for Richard Nixon and Rothstein were partners in RRA Consulting, an LLC which was set up to provide public affairs assistance to the RRA law firm's legal clients. According to Stone that business never generated any clients. It was dissolved in late 2008. On August 27, 2009, Stone, the recipient of Rothstein's sponsorship of his blog until July 29, 2009, "StoneZone", wrote a column recommending Rothstein for the seat vacated by Senator Mel Martinez- a man with "a distinguished legal record, has been a key supporter of Governor Crist and John McCain, has an unmatched record of philanthropic activities and would bring an unconventional style of getting things done to Washington. Add Rothstein to the short list."^[41] On November 4, 2009, Stone wrote, "Rothstein had no prior business success, no business acumen nor track record that would engender confidence in an investor. He could not read a balance sheet. He could not write or read a business plan. Rothstein was a lawyer, not an entrepreneur." Stone claims he has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) "so severe he never finished a martini, a cigar, a thought, or a sentence, never mind a transaction." According to Stone, Neither law firm name partner Russell Adler nor Stuart Rosenfeldt were signatories on the RRA Trust Account.^[22]

“My family said that the higher you get on the poll, the more people see your ass. You better be sure your ass is clean. My ass is clean.”^[42] – Scott Rothstein

He "appeared to be something out of a Great Gatsby movie."^[43]

"Nobody can really be surprised by this spectacular fall – the question wasn't whether it would happen, but when. How Rothstein was able to generate this kind of money practicing law seemed impossible." – Michael Goldberg, a Fort Lauderdale attorney who serves as a court receiver in Ponzi cases.^[28]

Philanthropy and Political Contributions[link]

In 2008, his Rothstein Family Foundation gave $1 million to Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, where a lobby will be named after him and his wife. On October 31, 2009 his firm sponsored at a charity golf tournament featuring former Gov. Jeb Bush.^[44]

Between 2007 and 2008, he donated $2 million to the American Heart Association, Women in Distress, Alonzo Mourning Charities, Here's Help, and the Dan Marino Foundation.

Politicians of both parties have pledged to donate to charity or return his political contributions. On November 3, 2009, the Florida Republican Party, announced it would give Rothstein's donations ($600,000) to a charity.^[10] Gov. Charlie Crist's Senate Campaign ($100,550), state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink ($2,050), Senate President Jeff Atwater, Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, and the Florida Democratic Party ($200,000) will return some or all of his contributions.^[28][45]

In June 2009, Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate majority leader received a contribution of $4,800.^[44] A list of FEC filings indexed by NewsMeat include a total of $166,800 to the Republican Party and candidates, including $109,800 to John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, and $17,600 to Democratic candidates.^[46]

Law partner murder[link]

Debra Villegas, who handles his money, is the law firm's chief operating officer. She is co-owner with Rothstein in a home at 2307 Castilla Isle, as of May 2009. According to records, Rothstein originally purchased the property in September 2007, for $ 1.75 million, and sold it for $10 to a shell corporation in September 2009.^[47]

In 2005, the year the Ponzi scheme allegedly began, Villegas earned $80,000 a year. In 2007, her salary had increased to $145,000. Villegas received two Swiss watches — a Rolex and a Breitling — from her "employer". Rothstein paid off her couch and a bedroom set and held title to her two Honda water scooters. Villegas was living in a $475,000 Weston home that Rothstein signed over to her in July 2009 for $100 and "love and affection," according to the deed. Villegas registered a 2009 $100,000 Maserati GranTurismo at the home in January, 2009. In November 2009, Federal prosecutors seized the home, alleging it was among Rothstein's ill-gotten assets.^[48]

Villegas' estranged husband, Tony Villegas, was charged on circumstantial evidence in the March 2008 murder in Plantation, Florida of Melissa Britt Lewis, a partner in Rothstein's firm. Although early news reports wondered at whether the evidence was substantial, according to New Times, "Nine days later, forensic testing revealed that Tony's DNA had been found on Melissa's suit jacket – the same jacket she wore on the day she died."^[49]

Police sealed the arrest affidavit.^[50] As a result of the homicide and the nature of the legal business, Rothstein has a team of "executive protection specialists" to guard the firm and his family, his teen-aged daughter. The prosecutor who had first worked on the Villegas case, Howard Scheinberg, went to work for Rosenfeldt Rothstein Adler. Villegas,a train conductor, remains in jail awaiting trial. The motive was supposedly revenge for Lewis's closeness with Debra.^[51] Debra and Melissa share a therapist: Ilene Vinikoor, whose husband, David represents unlicensed general counsel, David Boden in the Ponzi scheme investigation.^[52]

"You get anger from people... 'that prick from the Bronx. They say I'm building the law firm too fast, that it must be a house of cards."^[31]

"Disbarment on consent"[link]

On November 17, 2009, the Florida Bar Executive Committee voted to accept a request by Rothstein to be disbarred. The Florida Supreme Court entered an order permanently disbarring Rothstein on November 25, 2009.^[53] Rothstein was removed from the Broward County Grievance Committee, and his name has also been removed from the database of The Best Lawyers in America.^[21]

Trust account[link]

Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, and Adler's trust account was part of the Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program that was paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month to the Florida Bar Foundation.^[54]

$1.2 billion Ponzi scheme[link]

Rothstein's investment scheme involved purchasing fabricated "structured settlements," in which people sell large settlements in legal cases for lump sums of cash. Alan Sakowitz, an attorney and real estate developer in Bay Harbor Islands, said that he contacted the FBI in September with concerns about Rothstein.^[55] On Sunday, November 8, 2009, Sakowitz appeared with Kendall Coffey, attorney for Rothstein's law partners, on the Michael Putney Show on WPLG-TV, MIAMI, correcting Coffey for claiming that Rothstein's "investments" involved structured settlements, which they did not. (Note: "structured settlements" as defined by Rothstein in press reports do not meet the definition in IRC 5891(C)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. Rothstein's resemble investments in pre-settlement funding^[56] or pre-settlement financing.)

The FBI estimates the loss to be up to a billion dollars from lucrative whistle-blower and employment discrimination cases.^[57] The investors would make up-front cash payments to individuals owed money from the court cases to buy the right to collect the full amount of the settlements later.^[12] The investor was guaranteed a minimum of 20 percent investment returns in as little as three months.

Swindle pitch[link]

Unlicensed general counsel David Boden was present for at least one of the swindles, and negotiated the final papers with the investors' lawyers. Rothstein greets and informs the investor his firm was the preeminent sexual harassment law firm in the country. He says he'd figured out a basic formula which was that someone with $10 million net worth was usually willing to pay $2 million in cash to pay off their mistress. The key was confidentiality. Rothstein tells the investor that he would meet potential defendants in his office and would question them about affairs they had with an employee. The defendants would deny it. He pointed to artwork, and said there was a television screen behind it. He tells the investor he turned on a video of the guy having sex with his mistress, and told his client "We can either settle this now, or I can depose your wife, your mistress, you and your son about it." Since defendants" often couldn't or wouldn't pay the entire settlement up-front, Rothstein tells the investor that his first harassment case many years ago, involved a $3.5 million settlement and a million-dollar legal fee, so Rothstein assigned the settlement to a good friend and the plaintiff settles for $3 million without a trial. The "good friend" stood to be paid $3.5 million once the defendant paid up, a half-million dollar profit.

"In 20 years, I have never seen a defendant sue on breach of settlement," Rothstein told them. "The whole idea is that it's secret. Why would they sue?"

Although it did not appear completely legitimate, and it might have appeared that the plaintiffs were short-changed, it makes sense to the potential investor. The idea seems solid. The investor thinks that with enough of these cases at Rothstein's law firm, he could make huge sums of money.

Rothstein then discusses other larger cases: Eli Lilly and Company, involving $1.4 billion with plaintiff representation by Gary Farmer, a firm attorney who negotiated the settlement and who brought the case with him when he arrived at the firm. Several inside whistleblowers went to the fed with unlawful practices regarding the marketing and sales of an anti-psychotic medication called Zyprexa. It was one of the largest qui tam cases in history.

He tells the investor about a potential (allegedly fabricated) case where investors would buy whistle-blower million dollar settlements with a sixty percent short term investor profit. The arrangement would be completely secret; the investor would never know the name of the company or the whistle-blower. The settlement money would be deposited into a trust account at TD Bank, accessible only to the investor at the appropriate time. David Boden follows up with all questions and negotiates the contract.^[58]

Court-appointed receiver[link]

On November 2, 2009, Broward Chief Judge Vic Tobin sent an e-mail at 6:45 a.m. to judges about the Rothstein case:

"I learned of some very distressing news yesterday. Whoever draws the case try to set the motion today because of the amount of clients and money involved. Also, if you have a case with the firm, please be patient. I don't know if the lawyers will come or not and if they do come, there is no money at this point to go forward with the case or pay firm employees."^[36][59]

On November 3, 2009, retired Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Herbert Stettin was appointed the firm's receiver, responsible for approving the firm's day-to-day financial decisions. Firm president and 50% owner of the firm, Stuart Rosenfeldt, "deposited two-thirds of my life savings in my firm's operating account" to prop up finances in the short-term.^[10]

Marc Nurik is representing Rothstein, and has stepped down as a lawyer from the firm.^[36] The prosecutors are Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan. They have decades of experience investigating public corruption, white-collar fraud and organized crime. They are preparing a massive fraud case against Rothstein, zeroing in on his settlement investments, and also allegations of theft from his law firm and client trust accounts.^[23]

Victims[link]

"...I consider my political mentors – Bill Scherer, John Collins, Jim Blosser.." Scott Rothstein in a 2009 interview.^[16]

On November 25, 2009, Attorney William Scherer filed a 289-page Amended Complaint seeking $100,000,000 in civil damages on behalf of his clients, and naming : Toronto Dominion Bank and its associates, Frank Spinosa, Jennifer Kerstetter, and Rosanne Karetsky, Irene Stay, Banyon Income Fund, L.P., Banyon USVI, LLC, George G. Levin, Michael Szafranski, Onyx Options Consultants Corporation, Berenfeld Spritzer Shechter Sheer, LLP., as well as Rothstein and his associates, David Boden, Debra Villegas, Andrew Barnett, and Frank J. Preve, as defendants/co-conspirators.^[60][61][62]

The Amended Complaint lists people and businesses to whom Rothstein allegedly wired money while he was en route to or inside of Morocco: Rothstein wired $16 million to his tour guide from Boca Raton, Florida, "Ahnick Kahlid". Kahlid transferred the money to Rothstein's new Moroccan bank account opened upon his arrival with a passport as identification at Banque Populaire in Casablanca;^[63] The recipients allegedly are members of the "Israeli Mob"; New York Investors; Florida Investors; Real Estate Investors; and Levin Feeders.^[64]

Scherer has said that his clients and all other investors who weren't complicit in the crime will have their money returned. Due to the extreme negligence, TD Bank is liable. "My goal is to get all the money back for the investors from the bank," Scherer said.^[65]

On January 27, 2010 Scherer filed an affidavit alleging that Michael Szafranski was complicit in Rothstein's fraud, receiving almost $6.5 million in "ill-gotten" gains directly from Rothstein.^[66]

Shimon Levy and Ovi Levy[link]

Shimon Levy allegedly has had deep ties to Israeli Organized crime and spent a year in an Israeli prison for hiding a mob figure suspected of two "grisly murders". In 1997, his partner at the Sea Club Resort on Fort Lauderdale beach, Zvika Yuz, was a victim of a murder which remains unsolved. His son, Ovi contacted the Plantation Police Department and began receiving protection during the time Rothstein fled to Morocco.^[64]

Banyan Capital[link]

Banyan Income Fund, a Fort Lauderdale-based hedge fund, invested hundreds of millions. It was run by Rothstein and involves Fort Lauderdale businessman George G. Levin, who reported Rothstein to the U.S. Attorney's Office for "suspicious activity." According to the lawsuit, Frank J. Preve is Chief Operating Officer and kept an office inside Rothstein et al. He is a convicted bank fraud and embezzlement felon. He pleaded guilty to bank embezzlement charges in 1985 and received ten years probation and a $10,000 fine for falsifying loan documents in another fraudulent scheme.^[43] Banyon and other Rothstein investors' accounts were held at a Toronto-Dominion Bank branch in Fort Lauderdale.^[35]

A.J. Discala[link]

Abraxas "A.J." Discala, a businessman and former husband of The Sopranos' Jamie-Lynn Sigler, reportedly rasied $30 million through his hedge fund which he invested into Rothstein's scheme.^[67][68][69]

George G. Levin[link]

Since 1983, George G. Levin and his wife, Gayla Sue have lived in Fort Lauderdale's Bay Colony on the Intracoastal Waterway, in a 2-story, 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m²) home with 8 bathrooms and a large pool, valued at $2 million.^[70] Levin has a pattern of filing complaints when his unsavory/fraudulent business ventures are exposed. According to federal court documents, from 1985–1996 Levin's former business GGL Industries, dba Classic Motor Carriages defrauded hundreds of customers, selling kit cars. The federal government filed criminal charges against the company and GGL pleaded guilty to mail fraud in 1999 and agreed to pay $2.5 million in restitution.

Stuart Rado had been a consumer activist who organized GGL's victims and helped spur the government action. Levin subsequently sued Rado for violating the Florida Trade Secrets Act. Rado was diagnosed with cancer during the lawsuit. It was a classic frivolous SLAPP suit ("Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation"). On September 19, 1997, the finding against Mr. Rado was that he pay plaintiff's attorneys' fees.

The federal motion states: "GGL's fraudulent scheme necessarily included as an intricate part the silencing of its critics, among whom was Rado. It did this by using the courts to intimidate Rado into being silent and causing Rado to spend money he could not afford. It was GGL's intention (as one of GGL's attorneys said to Rado [in a 1994 deposition]) to make Rado's net worth go south. GGL and its attorneys forced Rado to incur the expenses of defending two lawsuits for over 4 years. Rado had to incur these expenses and live day-to-day with a barrage of pleadings, depositions and other legal maneuvers by GGL. He had to endure this even though he did nothing legally wrong, and even though GGL was in fact at the same time continuing to perpetrate its nationwide fraud. Rado was being put through this because Rado dared to contact some of GGL's victims and tell them that if they were injured by GGL they should contact the Florida Attorney General for help. What is even more despicable is that GGL knew that Rado was dying of cancer but continued to pursue him with motions and notices of trial and other pleadings, one such notice of hearing being served within days of brain surgery."

Although a convicted felon, GGL hounded Rado's estate for the payment of $80,000 in attorney's fees.

The state of Florida filed suit against the company alleging deceptive business practices and civil theft. A special assistant attorney general, Herbert Stettin lead the investigation. Stettin is now the trustee overseeing the Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler bankruptcy case.

Levin continues to sell kit cars under a different company name, StreetBeasts.^[71]

According to a Florida District Court of Appeals case published in 2002, Levin acquired property free and clear for less than the cost of the first mortgage, through a fraudulent transfer^[72]

Partners' income strategy and Rothstein's returns[link]

The allegations are: George Levin was the general partner (“GP”) who solicited each limited partner (“LP”)to contribute at least $1 million. Initially, each LP contributed $250,000, subject to periodic capital calls up to the amount of their commitments. They were promised 12% annually (15 % for first $100 million), to be paid quarterly. The general partner had to maintain a balance of not less than 10% of all contributions after any quarterly distributions. The general partner also gave a “clawback” guaranty to all LP’s equal to their original contributions. LP’s could not request redemptions during an initial one-year “lock-up” period and were required to give 90 days’ notice for any withdrawals. Redemptions would be paid from the GP’s own capital account “to the extent available” with a 10% hold-back, but otherwise, only from the purchased lawsuits settlement stream.

Banyon had paid Rothstein's firm at least $656 million, but the law firm anticipated $1.1 billion over a maximum 24-month period. It allegedly received and reinvested about $500 million. Levin expected to make 40% over 24 months but to only pay out 24%. Rothstein's law firm's IOLTA trust accounts established “for the plaintiff” in the purported litigation settlements were used to fund the phony settlement accounts, after the law firm had paid its overhead, keeping its insolvent operation afloat, which included “gifts” to partners and money given to politicians, charities, and pay for a massive advertising budget, as well as Rothstein's personal lifestyle, over three years, amounting to approximately a $500 million loss.

The interest on the funded IOLTA accounts went to the Florida Bar monthly, which was many millions, based on the Banyon contributions. In its prospectus, Banyon claimed to have a legal opinion that Banyon’s interest in the IOLTA trust accounts “perfected automatically on execution of the transfer documents” – that the lawsuit proceeds assignments created by general counsel, David Boden. The LP’s were warned that they could be taxed on the Partnership’s income and realized gains even if no distributions were made. As long as reinvestments were ongoing, the ponzi scheme was facilitated.^[39]

Losses[link]

1. Venure capitalist Doug Von Allmen's companies' total loss, approximately $105.5 million, through the Banyon Income Fund include:

• The Von Allmen Dynastry Trust, overseen by wife Linda Von Allmen: $7 million.
• D&L Partners, Von Allmen's Missouri company: $45 million.
• Kretschmar: $8 million
• Razorback Funding LLC, a Delaware company: $ 32 million
• D3 Capital Club LLC, Delaware company: $13.5 million

2. BFMC Investment LLC, owned by Barry Florescue: $2.4 million^[61]

3. Socialite art dealer Bonnie Barnett, mother of defendant, Andrew Barnett

4. The family of car dealers, Ed and Ted Morse.^[13][38]

5. Ballamor Capital Management, Radnor, PA: $30 million.^[73]

Others[link]

• Investors from Morocco lost $85 million.^[45]

On November 19, 2009, Rothstein never appeared for a deposition, noticed in the bankruptcy case by investors' attorney John Genovese at Genovese's law office.^[21]

Banyon and other Rothstein investors' accounts were held at a Toronto-Dominion Bank branch in Fort Lauderdale.^[35]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Scott W. Rothstein

• Video tour of Rothstein's law offices
• USA v. Scott Rothstein: Report Commencing Criminal Action, December 1, 2009
• Federal Charging Information, December 1, 2009 Case No. 09-60331
• Rothstein Plea Agreement, Case 0:09-cr-60331-JIC, filed January 27, 2010
• Disbarment on Consent, filed November 20, 2009
• Amended Civil Complaint filed November 25, 2009, Case No. 09-062943
• Attorney Scherer's Opposition to Motion to Disqualify Counsel for Plaintiffs, filed January 28, 2010
• Amended Complaint for Dissolution and For Emergency Transfer of Corporate Powers to Stuart A. Rosenfeldt, Case No. 09-059301
• Judge's Order Granting Compelling of Bank Records, Case No. 09-059301
• Database of Scott W. Rothstein's Political Contributions
• Database of Scott W. Rothstein's Corporate Interests
• Database of Scott W. Rothstein's registered vehicles
• Database of Scott W. Rothstein's Real Estate Transactions

Channing Crowder

Crowder with the Dolphins in 2009
No. 52
Linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1983-12-02) December 2, 1983 (age 28)
Place of birth: State College, Pennsylvania
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school: North Springs High School Sandy Springs, Georgia
College: Florida
NFL Draft: 2005 / Round: 3 / Pick: 70
Debuted in 2005 for the Miami Dolphins
Last played in 2010 for the Miami Dolphins
Career history
Miami Dolphins (2005–2010)
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-American (2004) First-team All-SEC (2003, 2004) Prep awards and honors
Career NFL statistics as of 2010
Games played 82 Games started 74 Tackles 471 Quarterback sacks 2.5 Interceptions 1 Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Randolph Channing Crowder, Jr. (born December 2, 1983) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American. Crowder was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and played his entire professional career for the Dolphins.

Early years[link]

Crowder was born in State College, Pennsylvania, the son of All-American defensive lineman Randy Crowder. He was a highly-regarded linebacker for North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, Georgia who garnered prep All-America recognition. He was named to SuperPrep's All-America Team and that publication ranked him among the nation's top 30 linebackers. He collected All-America honors from PrepStar and that publication ranked him among the Southeast's top 10 linebackers. He garnered All-America honors from Rivals.com and that group ranked him among the nation's top 15 outside linebackers. As a senior, he recorded 114 tackles in 2001 with 7.5 sacks sacks while also rushing for over 800 yards. He was named one of the top four linebackers in the state of Georgia by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was team MVP in 2001.

Prep awards and honors[link]

• North Springs Spartans MVP (2001)
• PrepStar All-American (2001)
• Rivals.com All-American (2001)
• SuperPrep All-American (2001)

College career[link]

Crowder accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Ron Zook's Florida Gators football team in 2003 and 2004.^[1] He was an original member of Florida's 2002 signing class, but delayed his enrollment until January 2003 in order to complete rehabilitation of his knee. He joined the Gators and practiced with the team prior to the 2003 Outback Bowl.

As a freshman in 2003, Crowder played in 11 games with nine starts. Those nine starts were the most by a freshman linebacker in school history. He would end up leading the nation in tackles by a freshman during the season. He ranked first among linebackers, first among Florida's true freshmen and tied for ninth on the team with 816 plays despite missing two games. He became the first true freshman of 2003 to start for the Gators and was the first true freshman linebacker to start since Travis Harris started four games in 2000. Crowder underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on October 1 prior to the Mississippi game, and missed the game against the Rebels. He returned against eventual national champion LSU 10 days after surgery to lead the linebacking unit with seven tackles.

On the year, Crowder led the linebackers with 106 tackles (avg. 9.6 per game) - the second-highest total on the team. He also had five tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. He led the defense with 12 tackles and one pass deflection against Arkansas, and led the defense against Vanderbilt with a then career-high 15 tackles. Crowder caused Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen to throw a game-turning interception, that set up a touchdown and gave Florida the win.

As a team captain in 2004, he finished third on team with 73 tackles, earned the team's outstanding linebacker award. Crowder was the Gators' leader in tackles six games, and was third on squad with 8.5 tackles for loss. He intercepted his first career pass against Arkansas when he picked off a Matt Jones pass and returned if 22 yards in a 45-30 win. Crowder recorded a career-high two quarterback sacks against JaMarcus Russell of LSU. He notched an SEC and career-best 18 tackles and forced the second fumble of his career against Mississippi State. On the year, he started seven of nine games before a mid-foot sprain in the first quarter of the Georgia game and missed almost all of the next three contest. He recovered his third career fumble and notched three tackles in the Peach Bowl versus Miami.

Following his second college season, Crowder was recognized as a first-team All-SEC selection and an ESPN All-American.

Awards and honors[link]

• College Football News Freshman of the Year (2003)
• Knoxville News-Sentinel All-Freshman Team (2003)
• Rivals.com Freshman All-American (2003)
• Scripps/FWAA Freshman All-American (2003)
• Sporting News All-Freshman Team (2003)
• SEC All-Freshman Team (2003)
• Sporting News SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year (2003)
• Associated Press first-team All-SEC (2003)
• Coaches second-team All-SEC (2003)
• ESPN first-team All-American (2004)
• Coaches first-team All-SEC (2004)
• Associated Press second-team All-SEC (2004)
• Florida Gators Defensive Co-Captain (2004)
• Florida Gators Outstanding Linebacker (2004)

Professional career[link]

Crowder was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round (70th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft. The pick used to select him was previously acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Marty Booker-Adewale Ogunleye trade from the year before. Then-head coach Nick Saban was familiar with Crowder, having coached in the SEC at LSU before coming to Miami.

Crowder (#52, right) leading the Dolphins' defense in 2009.

Crowder signed a four-year contract with the team in July and went on to start 13 of the 16 games in which he played during his rookie season. He opened 11 games at the weakside spot and two in the middle. The Dolphins opened with either five or six defensive backs in the only three games he did not start. Along with running back Ronnie Brown and cornerback Travis Daniels, 2005 marked the first time since 1996 that three or more Dolphin rookies opened at least ten games. Crowder ranked second on the team with 90 tackles, the highest total by a Dolphins rookie since Zach Thomas tallied 164 in 1996. It also was the fifth-highest total among NFL rookies in 2005. Crowder added two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed on the year. He replaced an injured Zach Thomas (shoulder/ankle) at middle linebacker for games during the season. During the year, he posted a season-high 10 tackles on two occasions. Crowder collected seven tackles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 16 and also recovered an Earnest Graham fumble that led to a Ronnie Brown eight-yard TD run on the next play from scrimmage. Crowder prevented a potential touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons when he forced the ball loose from fullback Justin Griffith with the Falcons at the Dolphins' 8 yard-line, and was recovered by Travis Daniels. Crowder also recovered a J.P. Losman fumble against the Buffalo Bills on December 4.

Crowder was once again a reliable starter in 2006 and continued to progress as a player. He finished second on the Dolphins with 104 tackles (behind only Zach Thomas) and had one sack for nine yards in losses that season. It was Crowder's first 100-tackle season of his career. He had four games of double-figure tackles, and tied or led the team in tackles three times and finished second on the team in tackles six times during the season. He started all 16 games during the regular season, though he suffered a hip injury on November 19 against the Minnesota Vikings that forced him from that contest permanently. In week 12 of the 2008 season against the New England Patriots, he was ejected from the game after engaging in a fight with Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light.

An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Crowder was re-signed to a three-year contract by the Dolphins on February 25, 2009. On December 6, 2009, In a matchup against the New England Patriots, Crowder made his first career interception and also sealed the win off for Miami. Crowder was placed on injured reserve on December 30. He suffered a right foot injury which made him miss a game versus the Houston Texans.

On July 29, 2011, the Dolphins released Crowder and then signed LB Kevin Burnett from the Chargers. Just over a week later on August 9, 2011, Crowder abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL.^[2]

On February,1,2012 Crowder appeared on the Super Bowl’s Radio Row and Announce his intention to restart his pro career http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/01/channing-crowder-plans-comeback-but-not-with-dolphins/ ^[3]

Personal[link]

Crowder is the son of former NFL defensive lineman Randy Crowder, who was a sixth-round pick by the Dolphins in 1974.

On January 23, 2008, Crowder lost control of his truck on a wet exit ramp and crashed it into a tree. He was unharmed and was charged with careless driving and leaving the scene of a crash.^[4]

Prior to the October 27, 2007 New York Giants–Miami Dolphins game in London, England, Crowder reportedly stated he "couldn't find London on a map". He later implied that he did not believe there were any black people in London as well.^[5]

On June 27, 2011 Crowder intimated on his new radio show that he had sold his jerseys while playing college football for the Florida Gators. Crowder later reported that he had not sold his jerseys.

He can now be heard on WQAM during the 2011 NFL season.

See also[link]

	American football portal
	Biography portal
	College football portal