Miami federal jury convicted Stanislav Pavlenko, Albert Takhalov and Isaac Feldman of fleecing hundreds of thousands of dollars from dozens of male customers by racking up bogus bills for champagne, vodka and caviar on their credit cards at Russian-style clubs on Washington Avenue.
A fourth defendant, Siavash Zargari, who did business with Takhalov, was acquitted.
The jury reached its unanimous verdicts on a variety of conspiracy, wire fraud and money-laundering charges after deliberating for five days after an 11-week trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Scola that zigged and zagged with tales about Miami Beach’s underground bar scene. Scola ordered the three convicted men into custody immediately because he found that they gave testimony “I don’t believe was honest.’’ His decision prompted loud wails and crying by relatives in the courtroom. Court security officers had to separate the defendants from their loved ones.
The SDFLA Blog is dedicated to providing news and notes regarding federal practice in the Southern District of Florida. The New Times calls the blog "the definitive source on South Florida's federal court system." All tips on court happenings are welcome and will remain anonymous. Please email David Markus at dmarkus@markuslaw.com
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Mixed verdicts in B-Girls trial
Three of the four were found guilty of some counts and one was found NG across the board. The Herald coverage is here:
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Escape!
Two bank-robbers escaped from a federal lockup facility in Chicago through those little slits as windows (4 inches wide) 15 floors up. Pretty crazy. From the Chicago Tribune:
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Be civil
Have you seen the joint resolution of 42 South Florida Voluntary Bar Associations and six chief judges in South Florida (federal and state) regarding lawyer civility? Check it out here:
The South Florida VBAs jointly resolve that they shall work together to actively promote the Oath of Civility and adherence to accepted standards of professional courtesy across the South Florida VBAs’ respective counties;
The South Florida VBAs hereby resolve to jointly promote the above through a series of articles, seminars, membership lunches, press releases, and correspondence directed to members and non-members of the South Florida VBAs’ respective counties; and
The South Florida VBAs, through their respective Officers, Boards of Directors, and Professionalism Committees, shall work with the Chief Judges of South Florida’s courts to promote the above in a manner most likely to improve civility awareness and adherence to accepted standards of professional courtesy.
The South Florida VBAs resolve to promote the Oath of Civility and adherence to accepted standards of professional courtesy to attorneys appearing before the state and federal courts, government agencies, arbitrators and other quasi-judicial forums throughout South Florida.
Good stuff; I think the "civil" lawyers need it more than the criminal lawyers.
I particularly like the footnote: "The Addendum shall be a living document that will be intermittently updated as additional bar associations pledge their approval of this Joint Resolution."
In other district news, Claudio Osorio stipulated to pretrial detention yesterday. The case is before Judge Altonaga so he won't have to wait too long for a trial (or plea). Here's Jay Weaver's coverage of the case:
Claudio Osorio once lived in a Star Island mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay.
Today the accused international con man remains stuck in a tiny jail cell in downtown Miami.
Arrested earlier this month, Osorio is awaiting trial on federal charges accusing him of fleecing $50 million from investors and the U.S. government.
Osorio’s defense attorney, Orlando do Campo, said Monday his client chose not to challenge the government’s position that he should be held without bail, citing a recent problem in his bankruptcy case. Osorio, 54, is being held in the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.
Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman originally granted Osorio a $1 million bond, including a $100,000 deposit to be made by his mother-in-law who lives in his native Venezuela. But the judge put it on hold so that a federal prosecutor, a bankruptcy trustee and Osorio’s bankruptcy lawyer could address a dispute over the source of the defendant’s funds.
The bankruptcy trustee is seeking to have Osorio found in contempt of court for allegedly forging a letter from a Canadian bank that purportedly claimed it had turned over all financial records related to his defunct company, InnoVida Holdings.
The South Florida VBAs jointly resolve that they shall work together to actively promote the Oath of Civility and adherence to accepted standards of professional courtesy across the South Florida VBAs’ respective counties;
The South Florida VBAs hereby resolve to jointly promote the above through a series of articles, seminars, membership lunches, press releases, and correspondence directed to members and non-members of the South Florida VBAs’ respective counties; and
The South Florida VBAs, through their respective Officers, Boards of Directors, and Professionalism Committees, shall work with the Chief Judges of South Florida’s courts to promote the above in a manner most likely to improve civility awareness and adherence to accepted standards of professional courtesy.
The South Florida VBAs resolve to promote the Oath of Civility and adherence to accepted standards of professional courtesy to attorneys appearing before the state and federal courts, government agencies, arbitrators and other quasi-judicial forums throughout South Florida.
Good stuff; I think the "civil" lawyers need it more than the criminal lawyers.
I particularly like the footnote: "The Addendum shall be a living document that will be intermittently updated as additional bar associations pledge their approval of this Joint Resolution."
In other district news, Claudio Osorio stipulated to pretrial detention yesterday. The case is before Judge Altonaga so he won't have to wait too long for a trial (or plea). Here's Jay Weaver's coverage of the case:
Claudio Osorio once lived in a Star Island mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay.
Today the accused international con man remains stuck in a tiny jail cell in downtown Miami.
Arrested earlier this month, Osorio is awaiting trial on federal charges accusing him of fleecing $50 million from investors and the U.S. government.
Osorio’s defense attorney, Orlando do Campo, said Monday his client chose not to challenge the government’s position that he should be held without bail, citing a recent problem in his bankruptcy case. Osorio, 54, is being held in the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.
Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman originally granted Osorio a $1 million bond, including a $100,000 deposit to be made by his mother-in-law who lives in his native Venezuela. But the judge put it on hold so that a federal prosecutor, a bankruptcy trustee and Osorio’s bankruptcy lawyer could address a dispute over the source of the defendant’s funds.
The bankruptcy trustee is seeking to have Osorio found in contempt of court for allegedly forging a letter from a Canadian bank that purportedly claimed it had turned over all financial records related to his defunct company, InnoVida Holdings.
Monday, December 17, 2012
B-Girls jury still out
They started deliberating on Thursday and could be heard laughing in the jury room on Friday afternoon. Not sure what that means... But no verdict yet. As soon as I hear something, I will post it.
The cat comments are weird, but the comment about Judge Rosenbaum's investiture was nice.
And speaking of investitures, the Senate is confirming more district judges... When will Judge Thomas be confirmed?
Finally, Richard Catalano can now listen to Justin Timberlake as loud as he wants. Here's Richard:
The cat comments are weird, but the comment about Judge Rosenbaum's investiture was nice.
And speaking of investitures, the Senate is confirming more district judges... When will Judge Thomas be confirmed?
Finally, Richard Catalano can now listen to Justin Timberlake as loud as he wants. Here's Richard:
Friday, December 14, 2012
Excellent piece in USA Today on snitching
By Brad Heath. Almost one out of every eight federal prisoners have had their sentence reduced for cooperation. That's a huge number. And here's an interesting graphic on how that breaks down:
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Breathe.
The Miami Herald has some tips for managing stress in today's paper, and it includes advice from Judge Gold:
Lewis and Tein might be breathing easier today after the case against them has suffered another setback. From the DBR:
Alan Gold, a federal judge for the Southern District of Florida, also practices mindfulness meditation and has become a proponent of teaching practices for stress reduction to attorneys. Gold has advocated for the creation of a task force on the mindful practice of law with the Dade County Bar Association and the local Federal Bar Association.
Gold says he regularly sees attorneys shuffle into his courtroom on the brink of a breakdown. He links erosion in the degree of civility in the profession with lawyers’ inability to cope with extreme stresses.
They may lash out in anger at a co-worker, assistant, client — or even a judge.
“If you recognize you’re in this situation, the next step is to get out of it. The quickest and simplest way is to slow down and take time to focus on your breathing. This is not something that comes naturally for lawyers. It’s counterproductive to their bottom line way of doing business,” he says.
Lewis and Tein might be breathing easier today after the case against them has suffered another setback. From the DBR:
Another deposition supports Miami law firm Lewis Tein's position in its fight to exonerate itself from accusations that it lied about its fee for representing two Miccosukee tribal members who were sued for wrongful death.
***
This sparked a deposition of Bert, who previously signed an affidavit that his legal fees were in essence loans. Bert is not fluent in English.
In the deposition, which took place Nov. 27 and Dec. 3, Bert appears confused about what constitutes a loan. He first denies there was a loan agreement between the tribe and Lewis Tein.
Lewis Tein, in a Dec. 7 pleading, accused the Bermudez family attorneys of trying to confuse Bert through semantics. The money extended to him and his daughter wasn't specific to Lewis Tein but for legal representation by any firm or lawyer.
"Those lawyers knew or should have know (sic) that Mr. Bert and Ms. Billie did not obtain loans specific to Lewis Tein but were ultimately responsible to pay back the tribe from their future quarterly distributions," stated the motion filed by attorney Paul Calli, a Carlton Fields partner who is representing Lewis Tein.
But in the second day of the deposition, Bert clarified his answers, saying he was just being truthful when his attorney, Jose M. Herrera of Miami, asked him if the loans were earmarked for Lewis Tein.
"When he asked me the question, when Mr. Herrera asked me the question about the loan, I said 'no' because I did not request a loan or assistance to pay the Lewis & Tein (sic) attorney fee specifically," Bert said.
Rodriguez, in the second day of deposition, also asked: "Mr. Bert, did you ever obtain any loans from the Miccosukee tribe to pay for the legal fees generated by Lewis Tein in their representation of you in the Bermudez case?"
Bert answered, "Yes."
Rodriguez then asked if Bert ever answered to the contrary. He replied: "I'm not sure. But because it went through general council approval, I didn't have a separate loan."
An interpreter translating for Bert said he assumed that because the general council approved his request, it didn't constitute a traditional loan.
Rodriguez continued to press Bert on the subject.
"He has told you three ways to Sunday, despite your best efforts, that he knew of the financial arrangement," Calli said. "And that just like Jasper Nelson, the vice chair of this tribe said, it approved these loan payments, those distributions. And you are trying to confuse him with this issue of loans."
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