press release: attorney cleared of mortgage fraud
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Broward Attorney Exonerated After Mortgage Fraud TrialTRANSCRIPT
BROWARD COUNTY ATTORNEY EXONERATED AFTER MORTGAGE FRAUD TRIAL
Following Not Guilty Verdict on Four Counts, Federal Prosecutors Drop Remaining
Three Counts
After a two week trial before United States District Court Judge Kenneth A.
Marra, a federal jury has exonerated Broward County Title Attorney Michael
Samuda. Samuda, who was represented by attorneys Robin Kaplan and Jeffrey A.
Neiman, owned and operated Pines Law Center, which provided real estate
closing services through its offices located in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
The dismissal of remaining charges comes a month after a federal jury in
West Palm Beach found Mr. Samuda not guilty of four counts of wire fraud. The
jury had been split eleven to one for acquittal on the remaining counts.
Mr. Samuda had been charged along with eight other defendants in three
indictments all relating to real estate transactions within the Versailles
development in Wellington, Florida. The government had successfully
prosecuted the other eight charged individuals; however, Mr. Samuda was the
only defendant to insist on proceeding to trial to clear his name.
Ms. Kaplan and Mr. Neiman presented evidence to the jury that Mr.
Samuda did not intentionally commit any wrongdoing, but rather his alleged co-
conspirators had lied and manipulated his title company, just as they had lied and
manipulated the underlying bank who provided loans for the purchase of real
estate.
A nationally recognized litigator, Mr. Neiman focuses his practice on
complex criminal litigation and tax controversies. He has represented and
defended a wide array of professionals in the corporate arena, including
attorneys, executives, accountants, and other professionals. Neiman spent nine
years as a federal prosecutor in South Florida and Washington, D.C. where he
specialized in criminal tax and other white collar matters.