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Roger Stone Interview Teaser
So I had an interview today with Roger Stone — the famed Republican dirty trickster and political consultant who had an office in Scott Rothstein’s law firm and teamed up with him on certain political projects — and I’ll have a full post up tomorrow about it. But first some highlights: — He said…
Rothstein Meeting With Federal Prosecutors, Likely Will Be Charged Soon
Scott Rothstein is meeting with federal prosecutors tonight, according to numerous sources, and criminal charges appear imminent in the apparent Ponzi scheme that exceeds $400 million. In short, he’s facing the music. One source says Rothstein sent a text message to a close friend (and victim) today that included the words, “I’m a…
Villegas: “I Have No Comment to the Media Whatsoever”
Just got hold of Debra Villegas, the chief operating officer of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, who Scott Rothstein claimed handled his financial affairs. Earlier today I wondered aloud whether Villegas knew that there was something fishy about Rothstein’s investments. I asked her that question. She said: “I have no comment to…
[UPDATED] Rothstein Deed Transfers a Cause for Alarm?
Starting this past July, attorney Scott Rothstein began a series of deed transfers that, given the allegations about his financial misdeeds, figure to interest his many investors. Broward County records show that on July 22, Rothstein transferred a $1.9 million property on Castilla Isle in Fort Lauderdale from his name…
Searching for Democrats to Run Corruption County
After watching three Republicans on the Palm Beach County Commission head to prison on corruption charges, one might imagine local Democratic operatives corking champagne bottles in anticipation of next year’s battle to fill the seat held by Republican Commissioner Steven Abrams.But politics in Corruption County are never that simple. Indeed,…
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Yankees’ Whitey Ford Watching Series From Lauderdale Home
They wear Speedos when it’s 50 degrees. They’re pushy in person and even pushier in a car. Then there’s those nauseating accents… With November, the snowbirds are back in town, and the New York variety have something to celebrate: Their beloved New York Yankees have finally made it through to…
He’s Back: Scott Rothstein Has Returned to Fort Lauderdale From Morocco (UPDATED)
Multiple sources say that Scott Rothstein has returned. One source says Rothstein flew into Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and is planning to head to the law firm right now. One sources says he has money to return. He flew in on a G-5 and is said to be (as I write this…
Madoff Accountant Enters Guilty Plea; Questions Remain for Rothstein Money Manager
David Friehling, an accountant with South Florida roots, is going to follow Bernard Madoff into prison. The Miami native entered a guilty plea today to nine felony charges. Hilariously, Friehling maintains to this day that though he rubber-stamped Madoff audits and invested with Madoff, he didn’t know that the Palm…
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LeMieux’s First Bill: Health-Care Fraud Prevention (in Lieu of Health-Care Coverage?)
We can all agree with what Florida’s new senator, George LeMieux, says above, that this health-care fraud thing should stop. And he makes it sound so easy!But if you watch the longer version of that speech above, you’ll see that LeMieux’s debut piece of legislation is part of a larger,…
Vanilla Ice Flowing Like a Harpoon on The Early Show
Watch CBS News Videos Online In this video from this morning’s Early Show, we have a scary barefoot clown dressed up as Santa. We have choreographed dance steps. We have Early Show anchor Maggie Rodriguez awkwardly singing and dancing along. Most important, though, we have Robert Van Winkle (you know…
On UBS Tax Cheat, Lauderdale Judge Not as Forgiving as Miami Judge
Among the many recent misfortunes of Jeffrey Chernick, his tax fraud case landed in Fort Lauderdale U.S. District Court rather than in Miami. That put him at the mercy of Judge James I. Cohn, who on Friday sentenced Chernick to three months in prison, despite a similar defendant’s having been…
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Dolphin Experts Weigh In; Any Gorilla-Killers in Lake Worth Mayoral Race?
Dr. Rene Varela The local community of marine mammal experts is a relatively small one, so the Juice has been asking some high-level folks in the scientific community to weigh in on the recent controversy surrounding veterinarian Dr. Rene Varela, candidate for mayor of Lake Worth. One expert, who spoke…
Here’s Looking at You, Rothstein
Over on My Acts of Sedition, blogger Chaz Stevens claims to have picked up the trail of Scott Rothstein. Or at least he makes a very plausible guess about the identity of the single reader in Casablanca who has an interest in his blog. It appears that same reader followed…
School Boarder Dinnen Kicking Activist Off Audit Board
The Broward County School Board under federal investigation for rampant corruption and audits repeatedly reveal that taxpayers have been ripped off. So what is School Board member Maureen Dinnen doing about it? She’s kicking one of the best watchdog activists in Broward County off the board’s audit committee. Dinnen’s assistant, Denise Usefof, informed district officials this…
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Lake Worth Tot Endorses Javier del Sol for Official Storyteller
It probably comes as no surprise that Lake Worth residents under age 12 overwhelmingly favor Javier del Sol in today’s mayoral race. When asked why she was supporting del Sol this morning, the urchin pictured above hesitated, rubbed her toe into the ground, and answered, “I don’t know.” But we…
Free Rider Problem: Will Tamarac Program Succeed Where Paris’ Failed?
This Thursday, Tamarac residents will be able to hop on a bike for free, then take it for a spin, all at the expense of Humana, a health-care corporation that’s out to encourage bicycle riding as an alternative to driving cars. But “Freewheelin,” a program that first launched in Louisville,…
Morning Juice: Rothstein Nightmare Marches on; Dunbar Village Looks for New Life
What hideous things will we learn about Scott Rothstein today?Miami attorney Alan Sakowitz says he had meetings with the FBI in which he expressed suspicion that Rothstein was running a Ponzi scheme. [Sun-Sentinel]Kevin Gale, editor of the South Florida Business Journal, recounts a party at Rothstein’s Fort Lauderdale home on…
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Rothstein’s Wheels and Some Clues on Charlie Crist
There are some amazing stories brewing on the Scott Rothstein front, but while I’m reporting those, let’s look at his cars. At various times, Rothstein has owned Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, Porsches, the works. At one time, he had a fleet of high-priced autos worth millions of dollars that he kept in…
Rothstein Business Partner: “I Have Nothing to Say to You”
I just returned from a very brief interview with Moe Sohail of Ultimate Cigars and Fine Wines on Federal Highway near downtown Fort Lauderdale. I walked in. I introduced myself. Sohail pointed to the door. “I have nothing to say to you,” he said. “Have a nice day.” I showed…
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Another Lazy Bank Robber; Nickname Needed
Fortunately, they’re enabled by very lazy bank tellers. Just when we finally nab the withdrawal bandit, South Florida has a new and even more complacent serial thief, who has yet to be formally nicknamed. Above, that’s him from his Halloween heist. We’ll work on that nickname after the jump. This…