Rothstein Claims Cops, Prostitutes Mingled at Law Firm

Shocking allegations made in depositions of convicted Ponzi schemer

Drug-dealing employees, prostitutes and mobsters were among the seedy characters who could be found at convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein's Fort Lauderdale law firm, according to transcripts released Tuesday of his closed-door deposition.

And if that weren't enough, Rothstein claims some of South Florida's finest could also be seen walking the halls of the no-defunct Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm, according to the transcripts obtained by the Sun-Sentinel.

"Mob guys, law enforcement, even judges from time to time, not federal judges, would show up," Rothstein said.

The disbarred lawyer claims the cops' presence made it easier to deal with the hookers.

"The police also were sleeping with my escorts," Rothstein said. “Broward Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Police Department weren’t going to bother me, OK, I could have had all the escorts I wanted."

The latest shocking allegations are made in the 950 pages of transcripts made public Tuesday of Rothstein's questioning by attorneys seeking to claim money from his former firm.

"The Fort Lauderdale Police Department conducted a full and thorough investigation involving all aspects of the Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme," Fort Lauderdale Police spokesman Sgt. Frank Sousa told the Sun Sentinel. "The investigation determined that there were no criminal violations. Furthermore, that administrative review was independently reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office and feds who also determined that there was no criminal wrongdoing by our officers."

"We’ll work with federal investigators and we’ll look into the allegations as we’ve been doing all along," BSO spokesman Jim Leljedal said.

The depositions wrapped up on Friday, and more transcripts are expected to be released Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

At least 30 lawyers involved in civil lawsuits related to Rothstein's $1.2 billion scheme grilled Rothstein, who has been serving a 50-year prison sentence at an undisclosed location as part of the federal prisons' witness protection program.

Rothstein was placed in witness protection after he worked an an informant against an alleged Sicilian mobster. He testified he "got a lot of money from organized crime" and claimed the stack of hundred dollar bills he kept at his desk was from "banks, organized crime, clients, law enforcement."

He claimed he spent tens of thousands of money on escorts and women from strip clubs, and said law partners, investors and business associates had no problem indulging in the sexual favors he provided.

But when it came to indulging in drugs, Rothstein said he only smoked marijuana on weekends with his wife, and frowned upon RRA employees taking or dealing drugs from the office.

"You don’t want to have marijuana dealing from the middle of your law office because I was running a giant Ponzi scheme out of there," Rothstein said.

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