HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502.jpg
2.84 MB
Extraction Summary
5
People
3
Organizations
1
Locations
2
Events
3
Relationships
4
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Deposition transcript
File Size:
2.84 MB
Summary
This is a deposition transcript of a witness named Scott (likely Scott Rothstein of RRA) being questioned by Ms. Haddad. The witness admits that his law firm's operations in 2009 were funded principally by a Ponzi scheme and theft, rather than legitimate revenue. He explicitly confesses to illicit activities involving law enforcement, politicians, judges, and organized crime. The questioning focuses heavily on the firm's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, revealing there was a specific 'Epstein conference room' at the firm and a firm-wide meeting regarding Epstein in July 2009, alongside a large volume of emails concerning Epstein litigation.
People (5)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Scott | Witness |
The person being deposed. Admits to running a Ponzi scheme, stealing money, and involvement with organized crime. Lik...
|
| Ms. Haddad | Attorney/Interviewer |
Conducting the questioning of the witness.
|
| Mr. Goldberger | Attorney |
Likely representing the witness, speaks briefly to thank Ms. Haddad for a break.
|
| Mr. Nurik | Attorney at RRA |
Described as having a 'good year' in 2009; recipient of emails regarding Epstein litigation.
|
| Epstein | Subject of Litigation |
Referenced regarding cases, a meeting, and a specific 'Epstein conference room' at the firm.
|
Organizations (3)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| RRA |
The law firm where the witness and Mr. Nurik worked. Described as having 70 lawyers.
|
|
| Friedman, Lombardi & Olson |
Court reporting firm listed in the footer.
|
|
| House Oversight Committee |
Inferred from the Bates stamp 'HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502'.
|
Locations (1)
| Location | Context |
|---|---|
|
Epstein conference room
|
A specific room at the RRA law firm reserved for the Epstein case.
|
Relationships (3)
Scott's firm (RRA) handled Epstein cases; there was an 'Epstein conference room' and emails to Scott regarding the litigation.
Witness admits to doing things with them involving illegitimate means/money.
Key Quotes (4)
"The only significant capital coming into the firm was money my co-conspirators and I were stealing."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502.jpg
Quote #1
"Things I was doing with law enforcement, things I was doing in politics, things that I was doing with organized crime, things I was doing with politicians, judges, other lawyers, bankers..."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502.jpg
Quote #2
"In fact, there was an Epstein conference room that was reserved for it."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502.jpg
Quote #3
"It came from the Ponzi scheme, and all the tentacles of the Ponzi scheme, other illegal activity."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502.jpg
Quote #4
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (4,179 characters)
1 their book of business. This being said, I was
2 bringing in legitimate lawyers to form legitimate
3 practice groups to practice legitimate law, having
4 nothing to do with the Ponzi scheme.
5 Q. During the year 2009, were there any, to
6 your knowledge, any big settlements of any cases at
7 RRA?
8 A. To the best of my recollection, no. We had
9 a dismal year.
10 Q. The year 2009 was just dismal across the
11 board?
12 A. Some people did better than others, but yes,
13 overall it was for a firm of 70 lawyers, it was
14 dismal.
15 Q. So there were no big wins coming into the
16 firm as far as a financial windfall other than from
17 your other businesses?
18 A. The only significant capital coming into the
19 firm was money my co-conspirators and I were stealing.
20 Q. Was there any particular practice group that
21 you can remember that had a particularly non-dismal
22 year in 2009?
23 A. Mr. Nurik had a good year.
24 Q. Do you recall what the gross revenue was
25 from legitimate sources in 2009?
Page 46
2 bringing in legitimate lawyers to form legitimate
3 practice groups to practice legitimate law, having
4 nothing to do with the Ponzi scheme.
5 Q. During the year 2009, were there any, to
6 your knowledge, any big settlements of any cases at
7 RRA?
8 A. To the best of my recollection, no. We had
9 a dismal year.
10 Q. The year 2009 was just dismal across the
11 board?
12 A. Some people did better than others, but yes,
13 overall it was for a firm of 70 lawyers, it was
14 dismal.
15 Q. So there were no big wins coming into the
16 firm as far as a financial windfall other than from
17 your other businesses?
18 A. The only significant capital coming into the
19 firm was money my co-conspirators and I were stealing.
20 Q. Was there any particular practice group that
21 you can remember that had a particularly non-dismal
22 year in 2009?
23 A. Mr. Nurik had a good year.
24 Q. Do you recall what the gross revenue was
25 from legitimate sources in 2009?
Page 46
1 Q. For the most part.
2 What wasn't fronted by the law firm?
3 A. I recall there being a couple of agreements
4 that various tort lawyers had with certain clients
5 where they were going to assist in helping to pay the
6 costs. All the other costs would have been paid by
7 the law firm, both through legitimate and illegitimate
8 means.
9 Q. So when you say by "illegitimate means,"
10 where would the illegitimate means money come from?
11 A. It came from the Ponzi scheme, and all the
12 tentacles of the Ponzi scheme, other illegal activity.
13 Q. Such as?
14 A. Things I was doing with law enforcement,
15 things I was doing in politics, things that I was
16 doing with organized crime, things I was doing with
17 politicians, judges, other lawyers, bankers, business
18 people, things of that nature, I'm sure there's more.
19 Q. Do you recall if any of these Epstein cases
20 underwent significant investigation while the cases
21 were at your firm?
22 A. I'd be guessing. I don't remember.
23 Q. There was a meeting in 2009, July of 2009,
24 and it appears from the e-mail communications that it
25 was for everyone in the firm to attend and it was
Page 48
2 What wasn't fronted by the law firm?
3 A. I recall there being a couple of agreements
4 that various tort lawyers had with certain clients
5 where they were going to assist in helping to pay the
6 costs. All the other costs would have been paid by
7 the law firm, both through legitimate and illegitimate
8 means.
9 Q. So when you say by "illegitimate means,"
10 where would the illegitimate means money come from?
11 A. It came from the Ponzi scheme, and all the
12 tentacles of the Ponzi scheme, other illegal activity.
13 Q. Such as?
14 A. Things I was doing with law enforcement,
15 things I was doing in politics, things that I was
16 doing with organized crime, things I was doing with
17 politicians, judges, other lawyers, bankers, business
18 people, things of that nature, I'm sure there's more.
19 Q. Do you recall if any of these Epstein cases
20 underwent significant investigation while the cases
21 were at your firm?
22 A. I'd be guessing. I don't remember.
23 Q. There was a meeting in 2009, July of 2009,
24 and it appears from the e-mail communications that it
25 was for everyone in the firm to attend and it was
Page 48
1 A. It was somewhere between eight and
2 $10 million, probably right around the nine million
3 mark.
4 Q. Do you know what your --
5 A. On its best day.
6 Q. What was your overhead for salaries in 2009,
7 do you recall?
8 A. I don't have a clue.
9 Q. Was it more than you brought in
10 legitimately?
11 A. With what I was paying in salaries, I'm -- I
12 mean, I'd be guessing. If it wasn't more than, it was
13 certainly close to it.
14 Q. That's just salary, that's not talking about
15 anything else, rent, overhead, things of that nature?
16 A. That's correct.
17 Q. Who was paying for the investigations of the
18 cases that were going on in 2009, the deposition
19 costs, the filing of complaints, and things of that
20 nature? Where did that money come from from your
21 firm?
22 A. It varied from case to case.
23 Q. For the tort group?
24 A. It was fronted by the law firm for the most
25 part.
Page 47
2 $10 million, probably right around the nine million
3 mark.
4 Q. Do you know what your --
5 A. On its best day.
6 Q. What was your overhead for salaries in 2009,
7 do you recall?
8 A. I don't have a clue.
9 Q. Was it more than you brought in
10 legitimately?
11 A. With what I was paying in salaries, I'm -- I
12 mean, I'd be guessing. If it wasn't more than, it was
13 certainly close to it.
14 Q. That's just salary, that's not talking about
15 anything else, rent, overhead, things of that nature?
16 A. That's correct.
17 Q. Who was paying for the investigations of the
18 cases that were going on in 2009, the deposition
19 costs, the filing of complaints, and things of that
20 nature? Where did that money come from from your
21 firm?
22 A. It varied from case to case.
23 Q. For the tort group?
24 A. It was fronted by the law firm for the most
25 part.
Page 47
1 regarding the Epstein case. In fact, there was an
2 Epstein conference room that was reserved for it.
3 Were you present at that meeting?
4 A. I may have been.
5 Q. Do you recall?
6 A. I don't recall one way or the other.
7 Q. You don't recall it.
8 Do you recall anything about the Epstein
9 case in July of 2009?
10 A. I do not. Do you have something that might
11 refresh my recollection?
12 MS. HADDAD: Can we just take a five-minute
13 break right now?
14 THE WITNESS: Sure.
15 MR. GOLDBERGER: Thank you.
16 MS. HADDAD: Thanks.
17 [Short recess taken.]
18 BY MS. HADDAD:
19 Q. Scott, I was asking you before we took the
20 break about a meeting with respect to the Epstein
21 cases. There was a 159-page privilege log filed,
22 which I'm sure you don't have and are not aware of.
23 But in it there are many, many e-mails to both
24 attorneys at RRA, yourself, and Mr. Nurik regarding
25 the Epstein litigation. And all this resolved in July
Page 49
2 Epstein conference room that was reserved for it.
3 Were you present at that meeting?
4 A. I may have been.
5 Q. Do you recall?
6 A. I don't recall one way or the other.
7 Q. You don't recall it.
8 Do you recall anything about the Epstein
9 case in July of 2009?
10 A. I do not. Do you have something that might
11 refresh my recollection?
12 MS. HADDAD: Can we just take a five-minute
13 break right now?
14 THE WITNESS: Sure.
15 MR. GOLDBERGER: Thank you.
16 MS. HADDAD: Thanks.
17 [Short recess taken.]
18 BY MS. HADDAD:
19 Q. Scott, I was asking you before we took the
20 break about a meeting with respect to the Epstein
21 cases. There was a 159-page privilege log filed,
22 which I'm sure you don't have and are not aware of.
23 But in it there are many, many e-mails to both
24 attorneys at RRA, yourself, and Mr. Nurik regarding
25 the Epstein litigation. And all this resolved in July
Page 49
13 (Pages 46 to 49)
FRIEDMAN, LOMBARDI & OLSON
305-371-6677
5ed93085-0554-447f-bcdd-ca2d8fe941df
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502
FRIEDMAN, LOMBARDI & OLSON
305-371-6677
5ed93085-0554-447f-bcdd-ca2d8fe941df
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017502
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