Rothstein's Office an Impenetrable Fortress
Some of Scott Rothstein's partners never got a look inside his office
By ARI ODZER
Updated 11:54 AM EDT, Fri, Nov 6, 2009
Scott Rothstein allegedly stole millions from investors, friends and his own law firm and he did it all from the luxury of his very own Batcave.
Built within his Fort Lauderdale law office was a shelter that rivals those reserved for the President and VIPs during nuclear fall out. Dick Cheney's undisclosed location probably wasn't this secure.
Rothstein allegedly pulled off his Ponzi scheme in a sound-proof war room within the Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler firm, an inner sanctum only the privileged could enter. Not even some of his partners had ever been inside.
"I think it's very important for the public to know this firm has a great group of lawyers and they were literally, figuratively and electronically walled up from whatever Scott Rothstein was doing," said the firm's attorney, Kendall Coffey.
A former U.S. attorney, Coffey is trying to save the reputations of the firm's other lawyers. So he allowed reporters in for a look.
Security cameras were mounted in the ceiling so Rothstein could see who was approaching. A special card key was needed to enter and an intercom system screened visitors. It kind of reminds you of the Wizard of Oz; only the intercom voice wasn’t modified for maximum omnipotence.
And if you got past that gauntlet, visitors were hit with picture after picture of Scott Rothstein. There's not a vacant spot on any wall.
Rothstein with President George. W. Bush. One with Sen. John McCain, another with Sarah Palin.
There's Rothstein with Gov. Charlie Crist. In fact, there are more pictures of Charlie Crist than there are of Rothstein’s wife (we refuse to speculate).
And the office was draped with enough sports memorabilia to start an auction house.
It's what you'd imagine a tycoon's office to look like, and that's perhaps the idea: project an image of unquestionable wealth, power, and legitimacy to lure more investors into the scheme. Rothstein was in charge of the firm's finances, so Coffey says the other lawyers didn't question why he was so much richer than they were.
"He was perceived to be the rainmaker, and in the business of law, the folks who make the rain get to collect the harvest," Coffey said.
Rothstein even had access to a private elevator that took him directly from the 16th floor to his parking spot in the garage. From there, he hopped into his Ferrari and sped off into the night. And just like the Caped Crusader, he could come and go with no one else from the firm even seeing him.
The Stealth Scammer. And now he's cooperating with authorities.
"Feds don't want half-way cooperation," said Coffey, who knows a thing or two about the feds. "And if somebody has done anything illegal that Scott Rothstein knows about, they should not be sleeping easily right now."
First Published: Nov 5, 2009 7:58 PM EDT
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