Results tagged “guiltyplea”

David Friehling, who was in charge of auditing Bernard Madoff's billion dollar "business"/Ponzi scheme from a little accounting office in a Rockland County strip mall, pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges for not verifying Bernard Madoff's trades and assets. The 49-year-old said, "At no time was I ever aware Bernard Madoff was engaged in a Ponzi scheme," and said his own family's savings (and kids' college funds)—which is also an SEC violation— were put into Madoff's scheme, while also admitting he took Madoff's records "at face value."

A woman, accused of killing her former girlfriend's husband in November 2007, has pleaded guilty by reason of insanity. The Daily News reports that Anastasiya Andreyeva explained, "The candle was burning, and I saw the face with horns and I started shaking and sweating. And then I went to approach the candle and run with it outside because the voice in my head said, 'Bring people the light.'"

From running a law firm that employed two hundred lawyers to facing life behind bars: Marc Dreier appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to "money laundering, conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud." His admission read in part, "I engineered a scheme to issue and sell fictitious promissory notes purportedly issued by companies in the United States and Canada," and he noted that the scheme took place between 2004 and 2008.

Marc Dreier, the once high-flying lawyer whose firm had over 200 lawyers, will plead guilty a $700 million scam involving fake promissory notes. According to his lawyer, Dreier—who does not have a deal—will "enter a guilty plea to...conspiracy, securities fraud, money laundering and five counts of wire fraud," the Wall Street Journal reports. Dreier was arrested in December, after returning from Canada where he was arrested for impersonating another lawyer in an attempt to get business from a Canadian pension fund, and has been under house arrest. Dreier faces over seven counts, the New York Law Journal says, "Each count carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison except for the conspiracy count, which carries a five-year term."

A lawyer for Vito Fossella explained the former Congressman's decision to plead guilty to a May 2008 DUI, "He wanted to accept responsibility for what had occurred and he wanted to end this. He wants this behind him. He realizes it was wrong to be drinking and driving that night. He's going to get on with his life."

Earlier today, Bernard Madoff's lawyer asked an appeals court to release the admitted Ponzi schemer, while federal prosecutors argued that he should stay behind bars. One judge pointed out that Madoff could have fled with "$100 million and settled in some tropical republic, yet he didn't do that," instead of admitting his fraud, adding, "He was a respected citizen who could travel as he liked. Why isn't that really a powerful argument against your position?" To which Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Litt said, "It's an argument, not a powerful one"; Litt also said that house arrest was unacceptable since guards could be bribed or fall asleep. The judges didn't immediately issue a ruling; Madoff did not appear in court.

A NJ woman has pleaded guilty to the 2006 beating of a man in the West Village. Renata Hill and three friends beat up Dwayne Buckle outside the IFC Center on 6th Avenue because Buckle made sexual remarks at one of them (he said he would "f--- [her] straight") and then made rude remarks (calling one "an elephant" at the others). Buckle was stabbed during the attack—one of the women, who were arrested, had explained, " I admit I did cut him one time for my own safety." An appeals court threw out three of the women's convictions (the fourth's case was dismissed) and had ordered another trial for Hill; instead of another trial, Hill will serve a 3 1/2 year sentence.

Bernard Madoff, extreme Ponzi scheme mastermind, arrived at the U.S. District Court this morning around 7 a.m. (video from MyFoxNY —Madoff was transported in a below). He is expected to plead guilty to 11 criminal charges (PDF) related to a $64.8 billion investment fraud involving thousands in the U.S. and overseas. The hearing will not start until 11 a.m.

With Ponzi scheme "investor" Bernard Madoff reportedly set to plead guilty to cheating his client out of billions, a former federal prosecutor tells the Post, "This guy is going to die in jail...He's got nothing to negotiate with. There is absolutely no deal that can be cut unless he can give up Hillary Clinton or someone like that." (The Post envisions that Bernie's cellmate will be named Bubba.) Newsday reports that "Manhattan federal judge Denny Chin said he is allowing the government to notify by Internet Web site postings the thousands of Madoff investors burned in the scandal that they have the right to appear in court on March 12." Madoff investors who wish to speak must email the U.S. Attorney's office (at usanys.madoff@usdoj.gov ) by Wednesday 10 a.m. We hope if victims are allowed to speak that Elie Wiesel is one of them. Last week the Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner Wiesel, whose charity lost eveything, said, "It's the inhumanity in this man who simply believed he can go around depriving people of their livelihoods. What he has done to certain people, it breaks my heart."

Fraudulent investor Bernard Madoff appears to be ready to enter a guilty plea, as he has just waived his indictment (meaning he's waiving the right to have a grand jury to review the charges). The Law Blog reports, "The waiver could presage a plea deal for Madoff. Often, prior to a plea, a defendant will waive his or her right to a grand-jury indictment. In such a case, the prosecutors’ 'charging document' — the document which lays out the case against the defendant — is called an 'information.'" (This morning, the U.S. Attorney's Office said it would file an "information".)

Yesterday, Robert Chambers was sentenced to 19 years in prison, after accepting a deal to plead guilty to selling cocaine and assaulting a police officer last October. This is four years longer than he was sentenced to for the 1986 killing of Jennifer Levin in Central Park, which was later dubbed the Preppie Murder. Police had also arrested Chambers's girlfriend Shawn Kovell, who was released shortly after pleading guilty. Prosecutors were unhappy the loyal Kovell (she waited for him to be released from previous prison stints) showed up at Chambers's sentencing; ADA Dan Rather Jr. said, "She's apparently wandering around the city without an escort."

A woman who worked part-time for the high class escort service used by former Governor Spitzer has accepted a plea agreement. Tanya Hollander, who is a holistic health counselor, will plead to lesser charges than the Emperors Club's head, Mark Brener, his girlfriend Cecil Suwal who ran the operation, and Tameka Lewis who booked appointments. Brener, Suwal and Lewis have all pleaded guilty to prostitution conspiracy and money laundering. Hollander's lawyer hopes his client can avoid jail time, saying she "is very eager to get back to work, helping people help themselves."

The 23-year-old woman who helped run the prostitution ring that counted former governor Eliot Spitzer as a customer is pleading guilty to money laundering charges.