Much has been written recently about the sad case of Aaron Swartz. Described as “a brilliant young software programmer and Internet activist,” Swartz, 26, committed suicide in January. At the time of his death, Swartz was under indictment in the District of Massachusetts for wire fraud, computer fraud, and various other cyber-crime-related offenses. The indictment […]
READ MORESecurities Issues: The Continuing Debate Over the Use of Finders vs. Broker-Dealers
A recurring and vexing issue has arisen again recently in my practice: can an (unlicensed) individual assist a public company in identifying sources of financing without the parties running afoul of the broker-dealer registration requirement under Section 3(a)(4) and 15(a)(1) of the Exchange Act? The relevant authorities on the issue appear nothing short of schizophrenic. […]
READ MOREOur Trial Was Right Here a Decade or Two Ago
Americans love trials. Criminal trials, in particular, have been a favorite subject for both television (Law &Order, Perry Mason) and movies (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Verdict). But judges, lawyers, and litigants? Not so much. It has been widely reported here and here that the number of trials of all varieties (criminal, civil, bench, jury) […]
READ MOREReporting of Crime to the Police
The requirement is enshrined in the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 Chapter 7, Section 34 of which states, inter alia, that any person who holds a position of authority and who knows or ought to have reasonably known or suspected that another person has committed the offence against Chapter 2 of the […]
READ MORECrime Rates Drop in New York City: Who is Really Responsible
In Trump’s speech on August 16, he spoke to America’s inner cities and black neighborhoods. He credited former mayor Rudolph Giuliani with the drop in crime and homicides. Trump exaggerated the numbers by cherry-picking the period covered. Nor did Trump’s campaign team present any evidence whereby Giuliani’s particular policies influenced the rates. Maybe it is […]
READ MORERebuilding Bad Credit Isn’t Always Legal
Building a good FICO credit score isn’t tough; all you need to do is settle your bills on time. But if you own a poor credit score, developing and raising your score to a plane where you can get competitive loan prices can take time; maybe years of handling your bills on time to boost […]
READ MOREMuslims Murdered in Apparent Hate Crime in New York
Monday afternoon, New York police arrested Oscar Morel, 35, for murder in connection with the daytime shooting deaths of an imam and his companion as they strolled from a New York City mosque. Morel was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Law enforcement wasn’t sure if […]
READ MORERuben Pizzaro, Number One Enemy, Captured in New York
Bronx’s “Number One Enemy” has been captured. Ruben (Chullo) Pizzano, 23, was caught after a tipster led law enforcement to Pizzaro was wanted in the shooting death of David Rivera, 24, in November. The murder was caught on camera. INSERT VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/wRfzCIXVtKE Pizzaro and Rivera fought outside a Crotona Avenue day care center. The […]
READ MOREIt is Not a Victimless Crime When Cops are Corrupt
A relative of Jeremy Reichberg tried to remove cell phones from his home on the day of his capture according to Manhattan federal prosecutors. Jeremy Reichberg pleaded not guilty to charges that he bribed NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Harrington and Deputy Inspector James Grant with bling, hookers, and cash. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara accused […]
READ MORETop Ten Mortgage Servicing Abuses
Mortgage Abuse: And You Really Thought the Lender Was On Your Side While “Robo-signing” has made the headlines, many loan companies have identified methods to speed foreclosures and generate fees all payable by the homeowner. Many of the uppermost mortgage servicing abuses could be curtailed with a little research and caution by the potential home […]
READ MORE
