Bernie Madoff, possibly the most famous criminal in America right now, was sentenced to 150 years for his role in a ponzi scheme.  Madoff pleaded guilty to stealing billions of dollars from investors, may of whom were completely wiped out after his ponzi scheme was discovered.

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors rather than from any actual profit earned. The Ponzi scheme usually offers returns that other investments cannot guarantee in order to entice new investors, in the form of short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistent.

Los Angeles White Collar Crime

Los Angeles white collar crimes are varied; they include embezzlement, bribery, ponzi schemes and more.  A qualified Los Angeles white collar crime defense attorney must have a thorough knowledge of accounting laws, financial laws, SEC statutes and more.  People in all walks of life are accused of Los Angeles white collar crimes, including school administrators, politicians, accountants, CEOs and others.

Los Angeles white collar crimes have serious consequences, especially now that the economy is so bad.  People often blame executives for their roll in damaging an economy, especially if their roll was an illegal one.  Throughout the news, people are being sentenced to decades in prison for their involvement in investment fraud, securities fraud and other Los Angeles white collar crimes.

The FBI even has a strategic white collar crime team that investigates all manner of fraud, including Los Angeles white collar crimes that involve some form of fraud, including health care fraud, bank fraud and more.  Some state laws govern Los Angeles white collar crime, but usually on a smaller scale.  The larger crimes are prosecuted by federal law and carry with it much harsher penalties.

If you have been charged with a Los Angeles white collar crime, do not hesitate to call Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP at (877) 781-1570.  Our knowledgeable legal team can evaluate your case and advise you of your legal options.

Source: admin

Los Angeles assault defense lawyers understand how difficult assault charges can be to understand and to fight.  Los Angeles assault is a crime that usually is coupled with other charges, such as battery or stalking.
Recently, Polo Molina, manager of the Black-Eyed Peas, has been charged with assault stemming from an altercation at a Toronto, Canada nightclub earlier this week.  Details surrounding the incident are still somewhat unclear, but it appears that Molina and band member will.i.am got into an argument with celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton over Hilton’s remarks about the band’s latest album.  Hilton reportedly hurled several gay slurs at the band member to insult him and was swiftly rewarded with a black eye, courtesy of Molina.  Both sides have publicly apologized and Hilton has been widely chastised by members of the gay community for his use of the derogatory phrases.  In addition to criminal charges, Molina is also facing a civil lawsuit from Hilton (whose real name is Mario Lavandeira), in which the blogger is seeking more than $25,000 in damages.
While the incident occurred in Canada, Los Angeles assault laws are fairly specific with regards to assault cases.  Simply defined, Los Angeles assault is the unlawful attempt to inflict a violent injury on another person, and is generally classified as a misdemeanor criminal offense.  In the case of an assault conviction in Los Angeles, a defendant could face any number of punishments:  county jail or state prison time, parole, probation, fines and potential anger management classes.
The punishment, or combination of punishments, is largely dependant on the defendant’s prior criminal record.  In this particular case, Hilton’s lawyers allege that Molina is on probation in Los Angeles for a prior drunk driving conviction, which might or might not be a factor in Molina’s sentencing, if he is convicted.
If you have been charged with Los Angeles assault, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today.  Their combined 50 years of experience in defending against criminal charges will fight hard to ensure the best possible outcome for you.

Source: admin

The Los Angeles Police Department is closing in on members of both the 18th Street gang and Mexican Mafia gang after a 2007 attack left a seven-week-old infant dead.  According to police, members of the 18th Street gang were attempting to attack a street vendor who had refused to pay them “rent” to operate his small business in the gang’s territory. The street vendor survived multiple gunshot wounds to the chest while a single stray bullet pierced the infant’s heart as he sat sleeping in a nearby stroller, killing him instantly.  Even other gang members were appalled, with members of the notorious Mexican Mafia allegedly demanding that those responsible for the infant’s death be punished.
According to Los Angeles police documents, 18th Street gang members tried to take matters into their own hands by luring the shooter to Mexico on the pretense of protecting him from Los Angeles investigators.  Once across the border, the shooter (whose identity is being kept secret as he is aiding investigators in the case) was allegedly strangled and left for dead.  When he regained consciousness, he called family members in the area and was eventually arrested by Los Angeles investigators.  He is now cooperating with both Los Angeles and federal law enforcement as they pursue his former gang.
Gang violence has long been a problem in Los Angeles, and law enforcement investigates and prosecutes gang-related crimes heavily.  Criminal charges such as weapons possession, drug charges and murder take on a whole new level of scrutiny when Los Angeles police label them as gang-related, leading to much more severe punishments.  Longer jail sentences are handed down in the case of a conviction and those convicted of gang-related crimes are also forced to register with Los Angeles authorities as a gang member.  Whether or not that affiliation is true or continues after a conviction, it is extremely difficult to make that association go away.

If you have been charged with a gang-related crime, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today.  Their combined 50 years of courtroom experience in criminal defense will fight for you.

Source: admin

A Los Angeles assault case has left the voice behind Conan O’Brien’s Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in an embarassing situation.

In Los Angeles, assault is serious and is considered a violent crime. It is defined as committing (or threatening to commit) harm, force, or unwanted or offensive contact against another person. According to Los Angeles laws, you can assault someone without actually physically harming them. If the person is reasonably afraid that you were going to harm them, or if you are guilty of intending to physically harm them, you can be charged with a Los Angeles assault.

The verdict in an assault case depends on the prosecuting attorney being able to prove your ability to commit the assault as well as the intention to harm. Assault can range from inappropriate touching or intruding on another person’s space to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.  Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys are in court on a regular basis, defending people of Los Angeles assault charges stemming from various situations:  domestic disputes; arguments at a sporting event; a fight at school and more.

Comedian Robert Schimmel was arrested in April of this year in his Los Angeles area home for suspicion of beating his wife. Schimmel was booked for investigation of spousal assault. However, his wife did not pressed charges against him and without her cooperation, there was not enough evidence to continue with the case. As a result, the assault charges against him were dropped. In the past, Schimmel has been a guest on Howard Stern’s radio show as well as Conan O’Brien’s late-night television show.

A Los Angeles assault is broken into two categories: simple assault or aggravated assault. Simple assault is the attempt and ability to injure another person. Simple assault usually results in fines up to $1,000 and jail time up to six months.

Aggravated assault is an illegal attack on someone with the intention of inflicting serious injury. This type of assault often involves a dangerous or deadly weapon, but need not necessarily result in actual bodily harm, only the intent of committing serious injury, the presence of a weapon, and the possibility of serious injury occurring if the attack were completed.

The results of a Los Angeles assault conviction can include jail, fines and restitution, parole, counseling, and a lasting mark on your criminal record. Assault can be a felony charge, which is oftentimes the case when assault is committed against a law enforcement officer. It can also be a misdemeanor charge.

If you have been charged with a serious criminal offense, do not hesitate to call Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP at (877) 781-1570. Our knowledgeable legal team can evaluate your case and advise you of your legal options.

Source: admin

Los Angeles sex crime laws are strict and have very little leeway for those found guilty. Los Angeles sex crimes defense attorneys work tirelessly to defend anyone accused of a Los Angeles sex crime, because the penalties extend well beyond prison time or fines.

There are a wide range of crimes that fall under the title of sex offenses. In the case of New Jersey’s Anthony Mark Bianchi, it was alleged that he traveled to other countries for child sex tourism. Before his bout with American legal system, the wealthy business man had been convicted by Russian courts of molesting boys there, and even spent time in a Russian prison for his conviction.

During 2003-2005, Bianchi allegedly traveled overseas to countries such as Moldova, Cambodia, Cuba, and Romania. It is thought that he molested or attempted to have sex with at least six boys, plying them with gifts and money in exchange for their favors. Some of Bianchi’s alleged victims were flown to the United States from Moldova during his 2007 trial. He was prosecuted under the “Protect Act” legislation aimed at shutting down sex tourism and other sex crimes against children. Bianchi was eventually convicted of having sex with, or attempting to have sex with four boys on foreign soil.

Los Angeles sex crimes are defined by state and federal governments as illegal forms of human sexual behavior. Common sex crimes are rape, lewd conduct, indecent exposure, sexual abuse or assault, child pornography or molestation, pandering, and distribution of illegal pornography.

In Los Angeles, as in many places, sex offenders are required to list themselves on the Sex Offender Registry. Available to the general public, this registry is commonly used by potential employers, landlords, and community members.

Not only are these records open to the public, but these types of crimes tend to be cracked down on the hardest in the courts. Neither the courts nor the general public is sympathetic to those convicted of sex offenses in Los Angeles area. If convicted, you can face fines, prison time, probation, parole, community service and more, in addition to the necessity of being publicly listed as a sex offender. Punishments are especially harsh if the victim was a minor, or if you are a repeat sex offender.

When facing charges of a sex offense, you don’t want to be unprepared. Los Angeles sex Crimes are punished harshly and have long-lasting effects. If you have been charged with a serious criminal offense, do not hesitate to call Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP at (877) 781-1570. Our knowledgeable legal team can evaluate your case and advise you of your legal options.

Source: admin

If there is one issues that constantly complicates the lives of Angelinos, it is Los Angeles immigration.  Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have constant headaches over immigration issues.
In the recent highly publicized case of mistaken identity involving Los Angeles immigration issues, Ramon Huerta, a retired chef, was arrested instead of another man with the same name who was alleged to be involved in gangs and drugs. Huerta spent time in jail, and even suffered an injury from falling from his bunk. But his daughter stated that her father was unlawfully arrested. Federal authorities then began investigating whether Huerta was falsely charged. Because of Huerta’s daughter’s work to get him released, Huerta is once again free. By the way: the “real” Ramon Huerta is still at large.
As a U.S. citizen, Ramon Huerta should not have been held for the duration of time that arresting authorities held him. He had rights as a citizen that perhaps were not honored in this Los Angeles immigration situation. He had lived in the same Los Angeles area home for 40 years and had retired from his profession as a chef in order to help his ailing wife. During his confusing interaction with the Los Angeles police, Huerta asked, “how can you not see that I’m not a criminal?”
When a person is taken to a Los Angeles County jail, the authorities run a check to see if the new inmate is an immigrant. In a case like Huerta’s, where the name is the same as a criminal’s name, problems can arise. If the inmate is deemed to be an immigrant, they can even be started on the deportation process.  Such mistakes with Los Angeles immigration issues happen regularly, and require the skills of a qualified Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.
This type of mistake can occur when the arresting authorities have not exhausted all of their research options. Perhaps if they had followed up a few more leads, the wrong Ramon Huerta wouldn’t have been brought in on charges that he did not commit. And perhaps Huerta wouldn’t have had to deal with the lengthy process he went through, relying on his daughter and a reporter to finally free him from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. Experienced legal counsel is priceless during unexpected legal problems.
If you are being accused of another person’s crimes, or if you are facing legal immigration challenges, contact Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin. With years of legal experience behind you, your defense will be sound. Call today to protect your rights.

Source: admin

Los Angeles violent crimes can often be a bit of a spectacle, in part because the city has a flair for the dramatic.  Los Angeles violent crime defense attorneys can often find their name in newspapers as a result of their clients’ alleged actions.  Take for example a recent “cold case” involving the LAPD’s finest.
Veteran Los Angeles Police Department detective Stephanie Lazarus found out the hard way that there is no statute of limitations on certain Los Angeles violent crimes, such as murder cases.  For many Los Angeles violent crimes, a statute of limitations exists that places time constraints on sending a case to trial, meaning that from the time a crime happens, detectives and prosecutors have only a specified amount of time before they can bring a suspect to trial.  Medical malpractice cases, for example have a statute of limitations of just three years.  But murder, as well as the embezzlement of public funds, have no time limits and charges can be brought against a suspect at any time that investigators feel they have enough evidence.
Detective Stephanie Lazarus had made a name for herself in Los Angeles by tracking stolen artwork and hunting down art forgeries.  In 1986, two years after Lazarus had joined the Los Angeles Police Department, Sherri Rasmussen, the wife of one of Lazarus’ former boyfriends, was found beaten and shot to death in her Van Nuys apartment.  Investigators at the time noted that Lazarus had been involved with Rasmussen’s husband, but believed a string of robberies in the neighborhood had actually led to her death.  Rasmussen’s husband, John Ruetten, had allegedly broken off his relationship with Lazarus and soon after started dating Rasmussen.  Rasmussen’s family publicly offered a $10,000 reward for whoever could bring her killers to justice, but the thieves Los Angeles investigators believed had committed the murder were never found.
More than two decades later, Los Angeles Police investigators began reviewing Rasmussen’s case and noted that DNA evidence from the Los Angeles violent crime scene revealed that a woman besides Rasmussen had been present at the time of her killing.  Just last week, an undercover investigator began trailing Lazarus, waiting for her to leave anything that might leave a saliva sample behind.  He found it when she discarded a plastic utensil after eating.  The DNA collected from the fork conclusively linked Lazarus to the scene of Rasmussen’s murder.  Lazarus was arrested by homicide detectives in early June and is being held without bail.  Her arraignment has not yet been scheduled.  Los Angeles Police department officials do not know whether Lazarus was deliberately or accidentally overlooked by investigators back in 1986.
While many Los Angeles violent crimes still go unsolved, many more do eventually get resolved.  New evidence may continually resurface in cases that, like Lazarus’s, are decades old.  New scientific developments also enables investigators to re-evaluate evidence that was previously collected and make connections they would not have been able to just a few years ago.  And since more serious crimes such as murder have no statute of limitations, if investigators can gather enough evidence, they will pursue leads in cases that have long been neglected.

If you have been charged with a Los Angeles violent crime, or another criminal offense, do not hesitate to call Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP at (877) 781-1570.  Our knowledgeable legal team can evaluate your case and advise you of your legal options.

Source: admin

Bradley L. Ruderman, 46, of Los Angeles recently surrendered himself to federal agents after it was discovered he had defrauded roughly $44 million from investors in yet another white collar crime case.  Ruderman allegedly persuaded several family members and friends to invest in two separate hedge funds that he founded and managed, promising returns as high as 60%.  This white collar crime was performed by Ruderman apparently been sending false statements to his 22 investors since form his hedge funds in 2002.

Ruderman claimed through his account statements that his hedge funds had managed $206 million while the funds’ actual net value at the beginning of 2009 was just $588, 246.  Evidence compiled by federal investigators claims Ruderman spent over $8.7 million of investor money on personal expenses, including a summer vacation home in Malibu and two Porsches.  Ruderman also admitted to losing as much as $5.2 million more of his investors’ money in private poker games held at a Los Angeles-area hotel.  Ruderman has officially been charged in a Los Angeles court with wire fraud.

Fraud is one of the most common examples of white collar crime, but still carries potential prison time if you are convicted of it.  As in Ruderman’s white collar case, fraud involves taking other people’s money under false pretenses and through non-violent means.  Both an individual and a business can be charged with fraud.  In the case of a conviction, an individual can likely go to jail while a business would most likely be hit with substantial fines.  In both cases, credibility would be ruined, making a return to business as usual near impossible.

Because fraud and white collar crimes in general deal with such large quantities of money, penalties for a conviction can land you in a state or federal prison for several years.  With your reputation and your freedom on the line, you need an experience white collar crime defense attorney at your side if you have been charged with fraud.  Call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin today to find out what your options are and being preparing your defense.

Source: admin

Los Angeles police reported this past Tuesday that actress Lindsay Lohan was the victim of a “breaking and entering” crime.  The security alarm company that services the actress’ house called police after the house’s alarm went off.  Police arrived at the Los Angeles-area home to find pry marks on the back door and evidence of tampering on one of the back windows.  Police reported that while the house appeared to have been ransacked, it did not appear that anything was stolen.  Lohan was not at home during the alleged break in.
Even if property was not stolen, breaking and entering is still a criminal offense that can put you in hot water in Los Angeles.  Breaking and entering, more often known as trespassing, is technically defined as entering, occupying or simply not leaving another person’s home or property without the owner’s permission.  Trespassing/breaking and entering is typically a misdemeanor offense.  If convicted of trespassing, you could be sentenced to 180 days in a county jail, fines of as much as $1,000, community service or probation.  This may not seem like much, but a trespassing charge will still be put on your criminal record, which could hurt your chances when applying for jobs or housing.  If prosecutors can prove an intent to actually steal something, then charges can be upgraded, so to speak, to burglary, which is often classified as a felony criminal offense and can count against you as a “strike” under California’s “Three Strikes Law.”
If convicted under the “Three Strikes Law,” enhanced penalties such as longer prison sentences will apply.  First degree burglary, which is burglary that occurs in a home or other type of residential dwelling, is generally punishable by a minimum of two years and a maximum of six years in a state prison.  Breaking and entering, or trespassing, charges should be taken very seriously as they can quickly escalate to even more serious charges.  An experienced criminal defense attorney is an asset you need by your side to deal with it.  A good criminal defense attorney knows that one of the most important factors in trespassing cases is proving or disproving the defendant’s intent.  Another is whether or not a defendant has visited the home in question in the past.

If you are facing breaking and entering or burglary charges, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today to begin preparing your defense.

Source: admin

In a story that hits too close to home, a young boy was kidnapped from his San Bernadino-area home by two gunmen this past Sunday.  The gunmen reportedly broke into 3 year-old Briant Rodriguez’s home on Sunday and tied him, his mother and four siblings up while they ransacked the family’s home, stealing money and property.

On their way out, the gunmen kidnapped the boy, the youngest of his siblings, and warned his family not to call the police.  One of the remaining children, an eight year-old boy, wiggled free of his bonds and managed to help untie the rest of his family.  The boy’s father was reportedly at work at the time of the robbery and kidnapping.  Initial information points to the kidnappers not being family members in any way and the California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert late Sunday, about nine hours after the Rodriguez family had called the police.
Kidnapping is a felony offense in Los Angeles, CA and counts as a “strike” under the “Three Strikes Law,” which can lead to enhanced sentencing.  Being convicted of kidnapping in California can land you in a state prison for a minimum of three years and maximum of eight years.  Kidnapping someone under the age of 14, as is the case here, is punishable by up to 11 years in a state prison.  Kidnapping for ransom or robbery, which is sometimes referred to as “aggravated kidnapping,” is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole.  If the victim of the kidnapping is injured or dies as a result of being kidnapped, then the crime is punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole.  Assuming the two gunmen are eventually caught, even if Briant Rodriguez was not injured in any way, they are looking at spending a very long time in a California prison.
There are several common defenses to kidnapping charges, so if you or someone you know is being investigated by police, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today.  Their combined 50 years of courtroom experience will fight for the best possible outcome for you.

Source: admin