Rothstein's Right-Hand Woman Charged in Scheme

Defunct lawfirm's COO charged with money laundering

The fallout from the Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme continues as the chief operating officer of his former lawfirm was charged Tuesday with money laundering.

Debra Villegas, former COO of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, is expected to be arraigned Wednesday on charges she helped Rothstein run his estimated $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

Villegas, 42, is accused of forging legal settlement documents which Rothstein used to lure investors into his scheme.

Villegas, Rothstein's right-hand woman at RRA, is the first co-conspirator to be charged under the scheme.

Rothstein, 47, pleaded guilty to the scheme in January and is scheduled to be sentenced in June.

First a paralegal with the firm in the 1990s, Villegas rose to the prominent position and became one of Rothstein's closest advisers, who he called his second-in-command.

Rothstein showered her with gifts, including a half-million dollar home in Weston and a $100,000 Maserati, which has since been turned over to the Feds.

Villegas' ex-husband Tony was arrested and charged with the March 2008 murder of former RRA partner Melissa Lewis. When Rothstein's scheme imploded late last year,some speculation and a lot of conspiracy theories arose questioning whether Lewis may have known about the scheme.

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