Rothstein’s Soap Opera Confession Will Backfire
BY SAM FIELDS
Hey Scott! The good news is that you only have 49 years left on your sentence. With time off for good behavior, that means you will be out sometime around 2052.
I am sure Kim will be waiting for you. She struck me as the kind of gal that will show up at the prison gate to reunite with her broke, 91-year-old husband.
What I am less certain is that Federal Judge James Cohn is going to see your two-week deposition saga as a reason to reduce your sentence.
Witnesses who co-operate with the Feds hope to get a sentence reduction under two section of the Federal Criminal Code —what are referred to as “5K” or Rule 35. Ordinarily the concept involves an underling ratting out the bosses.
Rothstein is turning the concept on its head and fingering all those who he supposedly dragged into the schemes. Illicit intrigues that he thought up and ruled with an iron hand.
It is a seemingly endless tale of lying, cheating and stealing. More than any one, he financially benefited from the schemes.
I will admit that this two weeks of testimony is like going past a car wreck. You hope no one is hurt. But if there is gore, you want to see it.
From the reduced sentence perspective, it’s Hitler hoping to get a better deal by snitching on Himmler and Goering.
It’s one thing for Sammy “The Bull” Gravano to believe he will get a reduced sentence by snitching on his Don, John Gotti. It’s a different thing when Gotti is hoping to catch a break by ratting out all the folks who did his bidding.
I don’t see Rothstein getting anything from this canary act. In any prosecution, he would come across to a jury like John Lovitz’s SNL character Tommy “The Pathological Liar” Flanagan.
“Yeah, that’s the ticket; I did it because all the guys working for me made me do it. And did I forget to mention that I gave all the money to cancer research.”
Without independent evidence corroborating his tale of sleaze, I don’t see too many getting arrested and even fewer getting convicted. The wealth of cross-examination material on his motives to lie would take a week to cover.
I read this latest Rothstein scheme as him proclaiming: “Judge, you know what a scumbag you thought I was? Well, I hope you will cut me some slack after I show you that I was even a bigger scumbag than you could have ever imagined. I didn’t just corrupt and taint my law firm. I poisoned our whole community. Now, how about letting me out of jail early?
Lucky for Scott that federal rules prevents a judge from adding to the sentence.
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Could our boy Sam be angling for some defense work for potential prominent clients? Naaah! Not Our Sam.
December 24th, 2011 at 10:03 am
Buddy, what you say is understandable but I hope you turn out to be wrong. Ratting is the only honorable thing a criminal can do. Fully exposing the crime is part of paying your debt to society. Rothstein should be rewarded for offering complete insight into his criminal enterprise. All the players should be exposed and Rothstein rewarded. This will go far to provide the enema Broward needs in our business and government sector. Shaving as much as 20 years of his 50 year sentence seems perfectly acceptable to me in return. Kim won’t be waiting for him when he’s 70 either. But Broward will be better off for the exchange.
FROM BUDDY:
FYI. This post was written by lawyer Sam Fields, not me.
December 24th, 2011 at 11:21 am
Buddy, sorry I authorize the correction.
FROM BUDDY:
No biggie. Have a wonderful Holiday.
December 24th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Get rid of all the scum in Broward
December 24th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
It depends on who he fingers.If the names are plausible figures, the s–t will hit the roof big time. If they are exploitive it will fizzle.
December 25th, 2011 at 9:34 am
I hope that all of you who believe that Rothstein is the biggest lying scumbag to ever come down the Broward Pike might also wonder whether, facing the rest of his life in jail, he might make up a few tall stories to get his sentence reduced.
Among his allegations is that he paid off some unnamed judges—I say unnamed because at his depo the U.S. Attorney objected to naming names at this time.
I suppose this means there is an ongoing investigation.
This means that Judge Cohn is a long way from evaluating the value of Rothstein’s statements.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Cohn takes it under advisement and we don’t get a ruling for a year or more.
Interestingly, if Cohn does little or nothing for Rothstein such a ruling might lead to the truth.
Here’s why.
Like many lawyers in Broward it seemed odd to me that Mark Nurik was representing Rothstein. Nurik was partner in the defunct law firm that was deemed a criminal enterprise.
Apparently the U. S. Attorney and the judge were satisfied. I will not second guess them.
Under attorney/client privilege Nurik knows a lot that I am sure he cannot and will not reveal….unless.
And here is the “unless”.
If Scott’s latest ploy to reduce his sentence fails I guarantee he will file a habeas corpus to allow him to vacate his original plea.
Two or three years from now he will claim that Nurik had a conflict and blame Marc for everything including his sentence. If necessary he will throw in 9/11 and the kidnap/murder of the Lindbergh baby.
It is black letter law that when a lawyer’s representation is attacked by his client the client must wavier all attorney/client privilege to go forward with the claim.
Now that inside story will be real juicy.
Stay tuned
December 25th, 2011 at 10:01 am
Sam Fields actually wrote something that makes sense and is not a tirade.
It’s a Festivus miracle!!!!!
December 26th, 2011 at 7:31 am
If Rothstein’s “lies” turn out to be true (by corroboration) then, look out. Rothstein always liked to control the top dog a la McCain, Crist, Adderley, Lamberti, etc., so which judge is the top dog in his latest revelation? Could be disappearing Pension coupled with some time in Prison awaiting the judge who flipped for this loser. Any guesses?
December 26th, 2011 at 10:36 am
Like Sam Fields says it’s true that Rothstein might lie to cut years off his sentence.
If he does and they catch him lying they should add years to his sentence. But if he is telling the truth and that can be verified then rewarding him for coming clean appropriate. It sends the right message to society that crime does not pay.
Testimony that can’t be corroborated won’t result in charges anyway. There is only societal benefit. No downside which is why this is taking place.
December 26th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
The one thing I learned from all of this is that you never trust a loudmouth white guy with jeans, a striped shirt not tucked in with out socks who shows up for anything.
I am waiting for the next circus of hundreds of people suing him for not being named in the ponzi scheme by him as a snub.
December 26th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
My guess, stressing guess, no clue as to accuracy, Vic Tobin. It always seemed odd that as Cheif Judge he wrote that email to the other judges to be understanding or give considerations to what remained of the RRA firm immedaitely after Scott bailed.
December 26th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Perhaps SR is telling the truth. I have read the depos and it sure appears as if he is telling the truth. He specifically says on a number of occasions that he doesn’t remember exactly what happened but he also says to look at back up documentation like emails, flight manifests, documents themselves and surveillance video. If investors turn over phony lock letters that were signed by Spinosa and the letter literally has his fingerprints and DNA on it. If due diligence people say they met with a certain attorney who claimed they referred hundreds of cases a month to SR and they can ID that attorney, he is in big trouble. If political candidates have an assload of campaign cash and SR can delineate those contributions and favors that he received from those candidates (like an armed escort to the airport to flee to Moracco) then the candidate would be in trouble.
SR is a despicable human being there is no question about that. But there a number of people who facilitated this fraud, the bankers, the lawyers, the hedge fund people all had the guilty knowledge and perpetuated the fraud to the tune of about 400 million.
A lot of people are going to be on the hook for money laundering and tax evasion at the least.
December 26th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
First of all there is” no loyality among thieves.”. It amazes me that this man will get federal protection for the rest of his life, is a shame . I mean snitches on this one, that one. Has BSO and some Ft.Lau’s finest in his back pocket. What was it guys and gals? The money right it could not have beeb anything else. From the slobering to his fat ass all over town. And some of you just could not get enough of him. Pay back they say is a bitch. Will see. Also to note the “jewelers” are on my radar. Your collegue Buddy, Bob Norman reported that he would buy large amonts of jewerly from(now who constantly had there picture taken w/ Rothstein over and over agin. Think, now Levinson Jewelrs). I mean Bob Norman did not name this couple(cute)by name-he did not have to. Att.Bill Scherer add another one to the list. People you cannot use illicit funds to buy a pack of gum. The clawbackers have every right to examine the books. I know what Levinson will say, fine then give me back the jewels-fine. I’m sure . Dig dig dig Mr.Scherer. Pay up bottom line. Oh i know they had no idea that the funds(visa,mc cash) had no idea what he was doing.Doesn’t matter, as long as you establish that the fat slob was using illict funds all bets are off. Tell the wife there-give back all jewerly, not just what she says(joke ) that was given to the wife and every other whore in this city. Latly people find the tramp in Morrocco , you find the duffle bag($$) or she will certainly spill the beans as to where it is, but you no nothing Lt.Col Wheeler-no to busy sending demand lettres to Ft.lau. Remember her there Kim Rothstein, bartender at Bova,, little Boston Terrier dog,shacked up at the Sea club. Ring a bell there, your fat slob husband was screwing her and every other tramp in Ft.Lau.Nice, and just to think you gave up the Blue Martini for the jerk(then you have the audacity to say that Brittany’s husband bob there was screwing Sheila Alu-your not alone others have followed suit-(Britt denies it, altough this source swears it true-will see) . Finally to the “Clawbackers”-I got your baCK.
December 26th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
50 years, 140 years what does it matter. The folks in diarheastan have the right idea. Losing time is not a penalty for crime. A little serious mutilation then turn the miscreant out to roam the streets. Ponzi scammer -well why not a select one from column ‘A’ and two from ‘B’ etc. type mutilation – now that’s a deterrent plus a clawback of all cash and property in perpetuity… including family members and no protection from physical abuse by the public … now that’s good stuff.
Or not… just thinking out loud in deference to Sister Mary Knuckleduster
December 27th, 2011 at 11:37 am
Let’s hope the Feds can get slime ball Vic Tobin for all of his crimes.
Regarding Rothstein, his deposition sounds very honest to me. And we all witnessed the facts and knew how corrupt he was. Him verifying it is secondary to what everyone saw and understood to be criminal activity by RRA partners. Anyone who doesn’t believe it is just trying to spin the facts wrongly, or they played a part in it.
December 29th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Rothstein “sounds” very honest. He doesn’t sound at all. He reads well, perhaps. You do not hear his presentation, demeanor, or tone. When something is written, it appears to gain credibility. It is not more credible merely because the story is transcribed. And, Rothstein has had hours to review emails, lawsuits, and other documents to corroborate the tale he is telling. Madoff went to prison and that is it. Scott still has arrogance and hope, he deserves freedom for his misdeeds. He still believes people are interested in him, when they merely have an interest in the gossip he wants to spread. In two years when Judge Cohn considers Rothstein’s “cooperation,” Rothstein will learn again and for the last time what it feels like to be used.
June 13th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
The Levinsons used and abused The Rothsteins…For Money and Greed!!!Levinson Jewelers is above the Law!This time your caught,your a greedy User!
August 8th, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Disgusting,Disgraeful,vile,…….=That is what Robin and Mark Levinson are….You take advantage of the Elderly the Young….your off the “Book’s” sales have finally caught up..It’s about time.