‘Lottery lawyer’ loses bid to suppress phone evidence, separate trials

(Reuters) – A New York legal professional charged with defrauding his lottery-successful shoppers out of $107 million has shed his bid to suppress proof the government could have received when it seized his cell phone.

Self-proclaimed “lottery law firm” Jason Kurland also unsuccessful to persuade a Brooklyn federal decide to grant his ask for to be attempted independently from his co-defendants – Christopher Chierchio, Francis Smookler and Frangesco Russo.

U.S. District Decide Nicholas Garaufis on Tuesday turned down Kurland’s argument his trial must be severed since he will argue that he was lied to by his co-defendants. A July 11 trial date has been set.

Garaufis also wasn’t certain by Kurland’s argument that his mobile telephone was illegally seized by the federal government, so any proof gathered through it should really be tossed. Garaufis held that the government’s seizure of Kurland’s telephone was justified.

Kurland, a previous partner at northeast regional legislation agency Rivkin Radler, specialised in symbolizing lottery winners. Federal prosecutors mentioned Kurland’s customers have won an believed $3 billion combined.

Kurland explained to his customers to devote in offers and entities controlled by Chierchio, Smookler and Russo, devoid of disclosing he gained kickbacks from them, in accordance to prosecutors.

Some of the funds was returned to Kurland’s victims as interest payments, whilst the majority of the cash allegedly fueled the defendants’ lavish lifestyles, prosecutors stated.

Kurland was charged in August 2020 with a single rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 6 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of trustworthy products and services wire fraud, just one depend of conspiracy to dedicate income laundering and one particular depend of cash laundering.

Soon after the rates ended up announced, a Rivkin Radler spokesperson told media stores that the firm’s connection with Kurland was terminated. Evan Krinick, the firm’s taking care of partner, did not reply to a request for comment Wednesday.

Chierchio, Smookler and Russo were also charged with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, income laundering and revenue laundering conspiracy. Smookler and Russo were being additionally billed in relationship to a plan to extort a jewellery merchant, whom they threatened to kill, prosecutors claimed.

All four defendants, which include Kurland, have pleaded not guilty to all counts. Telemachus Kasulis, a companion at Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello symbolizing Kurland, declined to comment.

The situation is United States v. Chierchio, U.S. District Court for the Japanese District of New York, 1:20-cr-00306

For Jason Kurland: Telemachus Kasulis and Dennis Dillon of Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello

For the authorities: Lauren Elbert, Olga Zverovich, Benjamin Weintraub, Brian Morris and Olatokunbo Olaniyan of the U.S. attorney’s workplace

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