White Collar Crime

2 attorneys on trial for allegedly defrauding state tax credit program

Two lawyers and a spouse of one of them, acting as business partners, “exploited every human being that they could” to defraud a Louisiana tax program intended to encourage expansion of the state’s film industry, a federal prosecutor told a New Orleans jury on Monday. Defendant Michael Arata, a New…

Apr 15, 2015 3:55 PM CDT

Lawyer who forged client signatures on secret litigation-funding contracts takes wire-fraud plea

Seven years ago, Todd Macaluso won a $55 million verdict for the survivors of four U.S. Marines who died in a Camp Pendleton helicopter crash. But by mid-2012 the California personal injury attorney was forging client signatures on secret litigation-funding contracts to get millions of dollars to keep his law…

Apr 15, 2015 9:15 AM CDT

Ex-judge accused of accepting bribes from lawyer takes plea; expected to get 2 years in prison

A former Texas judge accused of taking bribes from a San Antonio lawyer pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to an honest services wire fraud charge. Angus Kelly McGinty, 51, had initially faced multiple counts when he was first indicted concerning his conduct on the Bexar…

Apr 13, 2015 4:00 PM CDT

US attorney ‘close to the edge’ in comments on indicted lawmaker, but federal judge won’t nix case

The U.S. attorney for Manhattan went “close to the edge” in public comments about indicted lawmaker Sheldon Silver, a federal judge said Friday. However, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni denied a motion to dismiss the case against former speaker Silver, due to Preet Bharara’s conduct. Silver, a Democrat, is still…

Apr 13, 2015 11:05 AM CDT

Judge orders embattled state AG to show why she shouldn’t be held in contempt for axing prosecutor

Already in the midst of a grand-jury probe over her claimed release of confidential information to a newspaper to hurt a political rival, Pennsylvania’s attorney general has now been asked by the judge overseeing the investigation to explain why she fired a top prosecutor. Longtime prosecutor James Barker, who served…

Apr 10, 2015 2:45 PM CDT

Lawyer says his restitution for dodging thousands in train fares should reflect weekly pass rate

A prominent British attorney with star credentials who once worked for one of London’s most profitable law firms is now making headines for a different reason. Peter Barnett, 43, is accused of bilking Chiltern Railways of 23,000 pounds in unpaid train fares, by pretending over a period of more than…

Apr 10, 2015 12:10 PM CDT

Sentencing Commission changes fraud guidelines; minor players may benefit

A vote on Thursday by the U.S. Sentencing Commission may lead to lower sentences for minor participants in fraud. The changes in the guidelines place more emphasis on the offender’s intent, which could help those who play a minor role in such crimes, report the Wall Street Journal Law Blog…

Apr 10, 2015 10:06 AM CDT

DA’s office: Ex-lawyer charged in $1.2M theft got the money by having someone impersonate her client

A now-disbarred New York lawyer turned herself in Thursday to Nassau County authorities after being indicted in a $1.2 million theft from a client she represented in an eminent domain case. The district attorney’s office says Janice Jessup, 67, persuaded a court to give her the entire eminent domain award…

Apr 10, 2015 9:50 AM CDT

Judge indicted in federal firearms case is suspended without pay

A Texas judge reportedly planned to be back on the bench Thursday after being indicted earlier in the week in a federal firearms case and appearing in federal court on Wednesday. However, that plan was derailed by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which suspended Williamson County Court-at-Law Judge Tim…

Apr 9, 2015 11:40 AM CDT

No-show lawyer at theft sentencing gets another chance to appear on Monday

The courtroom was packed Wednesday for the scheduled sentencing of a Colorado immigration lawyer found guilty in December of 13 of 21 felony theft counts. Defendant Emily Cohen, however, wasn’t there. Boulder District Judge Andrew Hartman rescheduled sentencing for Monday, warning that it will take place regardless of whether the…

Apr 9, 2015 9:40 AM CDT

Online art seller agrees to guilty plea in justice’s first e-commerce price-fixing prosecution

An agreement in an online price-fixing case is the Justice Department’s first criminal prosecution against an alleged antitrust conspiracy specifically targeting e-commerce. David Topkins agreed to plead guilty to price-fixing and to pay a fine of $20,000, according to a Justice Department press release. Publications with stories include the Recorder…

Apr 7, 2015 9:45 AM CDT

Now-retired judge takes misdemeanor plea after dismissing DUI case for courtroom prosecutor’s nephew

A retired Pennsylvania district judge has taken a misdemeanor plea in a case over his dismissal of a drunken-driving charge against a nephew of his courtroom prosecutor. Dwight Shaner, 71, said nothing and appeared to be on the verge of tears Monday as he pleaded guilty and was sentenced in…

Apr 6, 2015 12:15 PM CDT

2nd Circuit refuses to reconsider its ruling limiting insider-trading convictions

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit will not hear a challenge to a December ruling which sharply limited the ability of federal authorities to bring insider-trading cases. The New York Times reported Friday that the court issued a brief order denying a request by U.S. Attorney…

Apr 3, 2015 3:00 PM CDT

NJ senator pleads not guilty to federal corruption charges

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges and promised to clear his name. Menendez entered his plea on Thursday in Newark federal district court, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Menendez, who is represented by Abbe Lowell of Chadbourne & Parke, asserted his…

Apr 2, 2015 4:29 PM CDT

Feds charge former BigLaw attorney with aiding client’s fraudulent attempt to get money to buy Maxim

A former BigLaw attorney was arrested Wednesday for allegedly helping a client impersonate his wealthy father, in a fraudulent attempt to get financing to purchase the men’s magazine Maxim. Attorney Harvey Newkirk, 39, was charged with aggravated identity theft, conspiracy and wire fraud in a criminal complaint filed in federal…

Apr 1, 2015 3:30 PM CDT