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Tag Archives: RICO

In-House Counsel to the Mob? Court Denies Government’s Motion to Disqualify Attorney Joseph Corozzo, Jr.

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Disqualification, Miscellaneous

As reported by the New York Law Journal, Michael Scarpaci is current charged as an alleged associate of the Gambino crime organization in the Southern District of New York in an indictment charging racketeering violations, including murder, witness tampering, murder of a witness, extortion, narcotics and sex trafficking a minor. In a twist, however, Scarpaci’s… Continue Reading

Pfizer Hit With 140 Million RICO Verdict Over Alleged Promotion of Off-Label Uses for Epilepsy Drug Neurontin

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Racketeering/Organized Crime

As reported in the National Law Journal, a federal jury in Massachusetts last week returned a $47 million verdict against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for allegedly promoting Neurontin, an epilepsy drug manufactured by Pfizer, for off-label uses in alleged violation of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Since the RICO statute provides for… Continue Reading

Georgia Court of Appeals Reverses Trial Court’s Dismissal of RICO Indictment Against Pastor, Bank Officer

By Anthony Lake on Posted in indictment, Miscellaneous

As reported by the Macon Telegraph, on Friday the Georgia Court of Appeals reversed a ruling of the Superior Court of Bibb County, Georgia, dismissing Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges against Jimmy Collins, the former pastor of God’s Worship Center (GWC), near Macon, Georgia, and Steven Pittman, a former employee of BB&T Bank…. Continue Reading

Representative William Jefferson Convicted on 11 of 16 Counts

By Anthony Lake on Posted in False Claims, High Profile Cases, Money Laundering

We did not weigh in yesterday, but the biggest federal criminal defense news was clearly the conviction of U.S. Representative William Jefferson of Louisiana in his criminal trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, as reported by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The jury of eight women and four men returned a verdict… Continue Reading

Jury Begins Deliberating Rep. William Jefferson’s Fate Following Over 2 & 1/2 Hours of Jury Instructions

By Anthony Lake on Posted in False Claims, Fraud, High Profile Cases, Money Laundering

As reported by the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Judge T.S. Ellis, III, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia read instructions to the jury yesterday which lasted over 2 & 1/2 hours, and the jury retired for its deliberations in the case against former U.S. Representative William Jefferson. The jury deliberated for… Continue Reading

Indictment in the Sir Robert Allen Stanford Case/Stanford to Be Arraigned in Houston Today

By Anthony Lake on Posted in High Profile Cases

Sir Robert Allen Stanford is scheduled to be arraigned today on conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, money laundering and obstruction charges in Houston in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Stanford is represented by attorneys Dick DeGuerin and Sean Ryan Buckley, of the Houston firm of DeGuerin and Dickson. According to… Continue Reading

Syed Haris Ahmed Trial: Allegations

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Terrorism

  By way of background, the Government originally charged Syed Haris Ahmed in a sealed indictment filed on March 23, 2006. The Government obtained a Superseding Indictment on July 19, 2006. It has charged Ahmed and his co-defendant, Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, in violation of… Continue Reading

Syed Haris Ahmed Trial: Day 1

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Terrorism

  The trial of Syed Haris Ahmed is Georgia’s most significant terrorism case and we will collect for readers daily information on the trial and additional information. Today’s information on the Ahmed/Sadequee Trial comes from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSBTV and CNN. Ahmed is 24, an Atlanta area native and a former student at Georgia Tech…. Continue Reading

Constructive Amendments to the Indictment in the Eleventh Circuit

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Environmental Crimes, False Claims, indictment, Money Laundering

  The government’s case in many instances will evolve or shift to some extent over the course of a criminal prosecution. It may be a long time between indictment and trial, and the prosecution may come into possession of new evidence before trial, or may not have thoroughly reviewed the evidence which it does possess… Continue Reading

Supreme Court Overrules Michigan v. Jackson and Presumption that Waivers of Right to Counsel After the Right to Counsel Has Been Invoked Are Invalid

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Environmental Crimes, False Claims, Fraud, Money Laundering, Right to Counsel

In an opinion issued on Tuesday, Montejo v. Louisiana, — S.Ct. —-, 2009 WL 1443049 (2009), the Supreme Court removed a layer of protection of criminal defendants against coercive and badgering police interrogations by overruling, Michigan v. Jackson, 475 U.S. 625, 106 S.Ct. 1404 (1986), in which the Court had held that “if police initiate… Continue Reading

The Rise and Fall of Marc Dreier: A Guide

By Anthony Lake on Posted in High Profile Cases

  We have tried to sum up for readers the labyrinthine facts and developments in the shocking and fascinating case of Marc Dreier, drawing upon excellent and thorough articles on the subject by Roger Parloff in Fortune Magazine and by Robert Kolker in New York Magazine. I. The Rise Marc Stuart Dreier grew up on… Continue Reading

Justice Souter on Criminal Law, Part II

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Environmental Crimes, False Claims, Money Laundering, Noteworthy Cases

  Our summary retrospective of Justice Souter’s contributions to the Supreme Court’s criminal law jurisprudence continues. In addition to writing for the majority in many important criminal decisions, Justice Souter has authored concurring decisions in many cases, including criminal cases. While the Justice’s concurrences in criminal cases have typically been brief, Justice Souter has frequently… Continue Reading

Justice Souter on Criminal Law

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Noteworthy Cases

              Supreme Court Justice David Hackett Souter has announced his intention to retire at the end of the Court’s term in June. In his 19 years on the Court, Justice Souter has been a key vote in many cases and has written over 150 majority, plurality, concurring and dissenting opinions, including in many criminal… Continue Reading

Spam-a-Lot! Brothers Indicted for Spamming Conspiracy Affecting 2,000 Colleges and Universities

By Anthony Lake on Posted in Cybercrime, Environmental Crimes, False Claims, Money Laundering

Spam e-mail is nearly universally despised. However, recipients of spam may not fully appreciate the inventiveness and intricateness of some spammers’ methods, however dubious or illegal, before considering the charges against Missouri residents Amir Ahmad Shah, age 28, and Osmaan Ahmad Shah, age 25, who operated a company I2O. As reported by IDG News Service,… Continue Reading