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White Collar
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November 15, 2024
Convicted TV Guru Trudeau, FTC Strike Deal In 21-Year Case
An Illinois federal judge on Friday approved and offered high praise for a consent order negotiated by the Federal Trade Commission and weight-loss guru Kevin Trudeau, saying they did a "spectacularly good job" laying out the plan for Trudeau to pay the remaining $8 million he owes in the 21-year-old fraud case.
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November 15, 2024
7th Circ. Takes Issue With Atty's Insider Trading Acquittal
A Seventh Circuit judge signaled Friday that an Illinois attorney's insider trading acquittal may be on shaky ground, saying the trial court made a post-conviction ruling that seems "hard to defend."
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November 15, 2024
Meet Trump's Solicitor General Nominee John Sauer
A former Missouri solicitor general who later convinced the U.S. Supreme Court that former presidents have sweeping immunity from prosecution for their official acts is poised to become the next U.S. solicitor general, joining other members of President-elect Donald Trump's criminal defense team who are slated to take top roles at the U.S. Department of Justice.
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November 15, 2024
Exploring Louisiana's History Of Nonunanimous Juries
The elimination of nonunanimous jury verdicts in Louisiana in 2018 inspired a Southern University Law Center professor to dive into the state’s long-standing racial prejudice against Black residents, culminating in three books that examine the roots of the problem and how to build a better criminal justice system.
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November 15, 2024
GM's Cruise Accepts $500K Criminal Fine Over Robotaxi Crash
Cruise LLC, the autonomous vehicles subsidiary of General Motors Co., has agreed to pay $500,000 in criminal fines to end claims that it made false statements to federal highway investigators by omitting that one of its vehicles dragged a pedestrian over 20 feet, according to an announcement by federal prosecutors.
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November 15, 2024
Poor Counsel Led To Unjust Tax Convictions, Justices Told
A North Carolina actuary asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit decision denying his bid to reverse his 2016 tax fraud convictions, saying the ruling was based on bad decisions made by his then-trial counsel.
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November 15, 2024
Political Fundraiser Avoids Jail In LA 'Casino Loyale' Probe
A former political fundraiser was sentenced by a California federal judge Friday to one year of home detention for facilitating a bribe to former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar, the latest in a string of recent sentences handed out to cooperating witnesses in the FBI's "Casino Loyale" probe.
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November 15, 2024
Man Gets 6 Years For Tax Evasion With Watches, Casino Chips
A former New Jersey businessman was sentenced to more than six years in prison and ordered to pay roughly $10.3 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service after being convicted of evading taxes using ploys involving luxury watches and casino chips.
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November 15, 2024
SEC's Top Cop Says Election Hasn't Slowed Enforcers Down
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement attorneys continue to work with "urgency" in the waning months of the Biden administration, the acting leader of the enforcement division said Friday at an event where he also spoke about a shuttered task force and the agency's approach to pursuing cases involving cybersecurity breaches.
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November 15, 2024
DEA Judge Nixes Vet Group's Bid To Take Part In Pot Hearings
An administrative law judge with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Friday denied a veterans group's bid to participate in upcoming hearings on a proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana.
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November 15, 2024
Detroit Riverfront Org.'s Ex-CFO Admits He Embezzled Funds
The former finance chief of a nonprofit that has helped redevelop Detroit's riverfront pled guilty Friday to stealing tens of millions of dollars from the organization and agreed to pay more than $44 million in restitution as part of his plea agreement.
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November 15, 2024
Now 'Back To Stability,' Mass. US Atty Office Set To Ramp Up
The incoming Trump administration's pick for Massachusetts U.S. attorney has a chance to revive the productivity of an office known for bringing complex and often high-profile cases, veterans of the district say, but new leadership and priorities at the Justice Department leave looming uncertainties.
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November 15, 2024
Fla. Health Co. Owner Pleads Guilty In $11M Payroll Tax Case
A Florida healthcare business owner who caused a tax loss to the IRS of nearly $11 million pled guilty in a Miami federal court to failing to pay employment taxes and not filing his income tax returns, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday.
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November 15, 2024
Girardi Seeks Sentencing Delay Amid Atty's Departure
Disbarred attorney Tom Girardi is asking a California federal judge for more time before his sentencing date because a key member of his legal team is leaving the Federal Public Defender's Office on Monday.
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November 15, 2024
Ayahuasca Church Urges Justices To Hear Discovery Case
An Arizona church that uses a psychedelic substance in its ceremonies has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider lower courts' rulings directing the church to turn over members' personal information to federal drug enforcement authorities.
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November 15, 2024
Ex-McElroy Deutsch Exec Says Firm Has No Claim On House
The former McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP business development director whose husband pled guilty to stealing millions from the firm has argued that the time has come for the court to toss an attempt by the firm to put her house in a constructive trust.
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November 15, 2024
Menendez's NJ Law License Suspended After Conviction
The New Jersey Supreme Court has temporarily suspended the law license of former New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez following his conviction on corruption charges earlier this year.
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November 15, 2024
Atty Who Called Mich. Judge 'Crazy' Secures New Hearing
A criminal defense attorney found in contempt for calling a Michigan judge "crazy" during a hearing in his courtroom will get a new hearing because a different judge should have handled the contempt proceedings, a state appellate court panel has determined.
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November 15, 2024
Texas Justices Say Subpoena Can't Pause Roberson Death
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday said that a group of bipartisan Lone Star State legislators can't use its committee's subpoena power to pause the execution of a man convicted based on a "shaken baby syndrome" diagnosis.
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November 14, 2024
Bitfinex Hacker Gets 5 Years For Laundering Stolen Crypto
A hacker was sentenced in Washington, D.C., federal court on Thursday to five years in prison for laundering hundreds of thousands of bitcoins now worth more than $10 billion that he stole from cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex.
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November 14, 2024
Ex-DC Homeland Security Official Cops To $844K PPP Scam
A former D.C. Homeland Security commissioner on Thursday pled guilty to a scheme in which prosecutors say she fraudulently secured about $844,000 in Paycheck Protection Program funds, according to a plea agreement filed in District of Columbia federal court.
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November 14, 2024
Defense Attys Urge Justices To Narrow False Statement Law
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is supporting ex-Burke Warren MacKay & Serritella PC attorney and former Chicago alderman Patrick Thompson's bid to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction for lying to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., arguing that the government's "broad" reading of the relevant statute infringes on constitutional rights.
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November 14, 2024
'Undead' NFT Maker Cites Discord Messages In New Trial Bid
The developer of the "Undead" series of non-fungible tokens who was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud urged a Florida federal court to grant him a new trial, saying that messages from the Discord social media messaging platform undermine allegations that he intended to scam investors.
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November 14, 2024
Supposed AI Fund's Manager Accused Of Wire, Securities Fraud
A manager of a hedge fund that purported to use artificial intelligence has been indicted by a New York federal grand jury on charges of wire fraud and securities fraud after allegedly lying to investors and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars for his own personal use, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.
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November 14, 2024
MDL Counsel Present Deal With FTX Estate To Fla. Court
Counsel for plaintiffs in the multidistrict litigation over the collapse of cryptocurrency trading platform FTX Trading Ltd. told a Florida federal judge Thursday that they have reached a deal with the FTX estate in bankruptcy.
Expert Analysis
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2 Vital Trial Principles Endure Amid Tech Advances
Progress in trial technologies in the last 10 years has been transformative for courtroom presentations, but two core communication axioms are still relevant in today's world of drone footage evidence and 3D animations, say Adam Bloomberg and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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Inside OCC's Retail Nondeposit Investment Products Refresh
In addition to clarifying safe and sound risk management practices generally, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's revised booklet on retail nondeposit investment products updates its guidance around certain sales practices in light of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's adoption of Regulation Best Interest, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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5 Defense Lessons From Prosecutors' Recent Evidence Flubs
The recent dismissal of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charges, and the filing of an ethics complaint against a former D.C. prosecutor, both provide takeaways for white collar defense counsel who suspect that prosecutors may be withholding or misrepresenting evidence, say Anden Chow at MoloLamken and Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.
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Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?
A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.
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Why The SEC Is Targeting Short-And-Distort Schemes
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent crackdown on the illegal practice of short-and-distort trades highlights the urgent need for public companies to adopt proactive measures, including pursuing private rights of action, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.
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6 Factors That Can Make For A 'Nuclear' Juror
Drawing from recent research that examines the rise in nuclear verdicts, Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies identifies a few juror characteristics most likely to matter in assessing case risk and preparing for jury selection — some of which are long-known, and others that are emerging post-pandemic.
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DOJ Paths To Limit FARA Fallout From Wynn's DC Circ. Win
After the D.C. Circuit’s recent Attorney General v. Wynn ruling, holding that the government cannot compel retroactive registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the U.S. Department of Justice has a few options to limit the decision’s impact on enforcement, say attorneys at MoFo.
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Series
Playing Dungeons & Dragons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Playing Dungeons & Dragons – a tabletop role-playing game – helped pave the way for my legal career by providing me with foundational skills such as persuasion and team building, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.
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Unpacking Executive Privilege, Contempt In Recent Cases
The U.S. House of Representatives’ recent move to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress is the latest example in a growing trend of executive privilege disputes, and serves as a warning to private citizens and corporate leaders who are in communication with the president, says Kristina Moore at Womble Bond.
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Bankruptcy Trustees Need More FinCEN Guidance
Recent FinCEN consent orders in two North Carolina bankruptcy cases show that additional guidance is necessary for most types of fiduciaries overseeing bankruptcy estates or other insolvency vehicles, say Brian Shaw and David Doyle at Cozen O’Connor.
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Jarkesy Ruling May Redefine Jury Role In Patent Fraud
Regardless of whether the U.S. Supreme Court’s Jarkesy ruling implicates the direction of inequitable conduct, which requires showing that the patentee made material statements or omissions to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the decision has created opportunities for defendants to argue more substantively for jury trials than ever before, say attorneys at Cadwalader.
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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The OIG Report: DOJ's Own Whistleblower Program Has Holes
A recent Office of the Inspector General memo found that the U.S. Department of Justice’s whistleblower program failed to protect federal employees whose security clearances were allegedly suspended in retaliation — a serious cause for concern that could have a potential chilling effect on would-be whistleblowers, says Diana Shaw at Wiley.
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Attorneys Can Benefit From Reverse-Engineering Their Cases
Trial advocacy programs often teach lawyers to loosely track the progression of a lawsuit during preparation — case analysis, then direct examination, then cross-examination, openings and closings — but reverse-engineering cases by working backward from opening and closing statements can streamline the process and also improve case strategy, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents
Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.