Republican Governors Association

Florida GOP Gov Hopeful To RGA: Time To Give Back Rothstein's $200K

Justin Elliott | November 19, 2009, 3:06PM

Bill McCollum and Scott Rothstein (inset)

Bill McCollum, the likely GOP nominee in the Florida gubernatorial race, is calling on the Republican Governors Association to give back a $200,000 donation from accused fraudster attorney Scott Rothstein, whose political support has become a hot issue in the race.

The statement from McCollum, who is in Austin for the RGA conference this week, comes on the heels of a demand from the Democratic Governors Association that McCollum ask the RGA to give the money back.

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Scott Rothstein

Dem Govs Group Blasts Florida GOP Candidate Over $200K Rothstein Donation

Justin Elliott | November 18, 2009, 5:12PM

Scott Rothstein (inset)

The Democratic Governors Association is going after Bill McCollum, the likely GOP nominee in the race for Florida governor, in the wake of TPMmuckraker's report that the Republican Governors Association got a $200,000 from accused fraudster Scott Rothstein.

"Bill McCollum is spending the week with RGA leadership at their annual fundraiser - in fact, this is the same fundraiser where Rothstein contributed his $200K last year," said DGA communications director Emily DeRose in a statement. "McCollum has two choices: Will he ask the RGA to return the fraudulent money, or will he thank them for using it to boost his chances in Florida?"

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Scott Rothstein

GOP Govs Group Got Whopping $200,000 From Accused Fraudster

Justin Elliott | November 17, 2009, 9:56AM

Scott Rothstein (inset)

The Republican Governors Association got a $200,000 donation last year from Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein, who is being accused of a fraud worth as much as $1 billion. The RGA did not respond to requests for comment about the contribution, and it's not known whether the money has, or will be, returned.

Rothstein was until his fall a top donor and fundraiser for Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who is now locked in a hotly contested U.S. Senate primary with conservative Marco Rubio.

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Scott Rothstein

Crist Photo With Accused Fraudster: 'Scott -- you're amazing!'

Justin Elliott | November 16, 2009, 9:45AM

Photo with Gov. Crist from Scott Rothstein's office

A photo hanging in the law firm office of accused fraudster Scott Rothstein shows the Fort Lauderdale attorney in a full embrace with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and features a handwritten note from Crist: "Scott --- you're amazing!"

The story of Rothstein's alleged $1 billion fraud, which TPMmuckraker has been following, was featured on the front page of the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, illustrated by the Crist-Rothstein photo.

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Scott Rothstein

FBI: Accused Fraudster's Scheme Could Exceed $1 Billion

Justin Elliott | November 12, 2009, 2:47PM

Scott Rothstein

Estimates of the size of the investment scheme allegedly carried out by politically connected Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein have now soared to $1 billion, up from $500 million, which was up from $100 million. Meanwhile, Rothstein is still free and was even taped Monday having a lunchtime cocktail at Fort Lauderdale's Capital Grille.

Civil charges were brought in the case Monday by the IRS and authorities have seized his 87-foot yacht and several sports cars, but Rothstein, who was a top moneyman for Gov. Charlie Crist known for his expensive tastes, has not been charged criminally.

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Charlie Crist

Revealed: Pictures Of Gov. Crist's $50K Birthday Cake From Accused Fraudster

Justin Elliott | November 6, 2009, 1:43PM

Cake image courtesy of Miami Herald; Crist image courtesy of Broward-Palm Beach New Times.

Two Florida newspapers have published pictures of the birthday cake for Charlie Crist sponsored to the tune of $52,000 by Fort Lauderdale super attorney Scott Rothstein.

Remember, Rothstein has been accused of orchestrating a gigantic fraud scheme out of his firm, but Gov. Crist claims that Rothstein is just another supporter, suggesting this week he hardly knows the man.

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Scott Rothstein

Crist Denies Close Ties, But Accused Fraudster Was A Friend Who Even Sponsored Crist's Birthday Cake

Justin Elliott | November 5, 2009, 4:55PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) and Scott Rothstein

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's assertion that accused fraudster attorney Scott Rothstein was nothing more than another campaign supporter is starting to look even thinner.

A Florida source familiar with the situation tells TPMmuckraker that Rothstein often bragged about his closeness to Crist, now a candidate for US Senate. The source says Rothstein once remarked: "It's one thing when you've got the governor on speed dial. It's another thing when the governor has you on speed dial."

"They were friends," the source tells us. "To say anything else is ridiculous."

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Charlie Crist

Mo Money Mo Problems: Rothstein Is Latest Crist Fundraiser Under Cloud

Justin Elliott | November 4, 2009, 6:42PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL), Scott Rothstein, Alan Mendelsohn, and Harry Sargeant

Something is rotten in the state of Florida?

With the accusations this week that Scott Rothstein, fast-living Fort Lauderdale attorney and friend and donor to Gov. Charlie Crist, orchestrated a massive fraud out of his law firm, there are now three Crist moneymen caught up in alleged criminal or extremely shady activity.

Crist, whose career has been fueled by his skill as a fundraiser, finds himself entangled with the trio of scandals just as his U.S. Senate primary campaign against conservative Marco Rubio is attracting national attention. And there's already talk down in Florida that the Crist-linked scandals may become a factor in the primary contest.

So what's it all about? Let's go to the tape.

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Scott Rothstein

Rothstein Roundup: Accused Fraudster Meets With Feds And Estimates Of Scheme's Size Soar

Justin Elliott | November 4, 2009, 12:43PM

Scott Rothstein

Back in south Florida after a trip to Morocco, the high-profile attorney who has been sued for allegedly operating a fraud scheme out of his law office met with federal prosecutors last night and criminal charges are likely to come soon, the Broward-Palm Beach New Times reports.

In a suit filed Monday, the law firm of politically-connected Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein alleged that he set up a side business that sold phony legal settlements to outside investors with promises of guaranteed high returns.

There have been a flurry of developments in the Rothstein case in the last 24 hours, so we rounded up a few articles worth taking a look at:

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Scott Rothstein

Roger Stone: I Hired PI To Investigate Biz Partner And Accused Fraudster Scott Rothstein

Justin Elliott | November 3, 2009, 4:41PM

Roger Stone and Scott Rothstein (inset)

Roger Stone told TPMmuckraker in an interview today that he retained a private investigator last year to scrutinize the activities of Scott Rothstein, Stone's onetime business partner who is now being accused of a $100 million fraud involving his south Florida law firm. And, Stone added, he broke with Rothstein earlier this year after Rothstein tried to censor criticism of his friend Gov. Charlie Crist on The Stone Zone, for which Rothstein's law firm was providing web hosting.

Stone, reached in Ohio where he is working election day, explained that about a year ago Rothstein's spending -- "on luxury cars, real estate, watches, charitable and political donations" -- had gotten so out of control that Stone hired private investigator Adam Mangino.

"He came back with two pieces of advice: 'I don't know where the money is coming from, but I do know the money is not his,'" Stone says. "It was at that point that I asked Rothstein to dissolve the company."

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Scott Rothstein

Prominent And Politically Connected Florida Attorney Accused In $100M Fraud Scheme

Justin Elliott | November 3, 2009, 12:29PM

Scott Rothstein

In a case already being compared to the Bernie Madoff affair, a lawsuit filed Monday in Broward County accuses south Florida "super attorney" Scott Rothstein of bilking investors in a scheme run out of the powerful firm Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler, which now says it can't make payroll.

An attorney for one investor told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the amount of money missing could be over $100 million, though it's not clear where it went.

Rothstein and his wife are jet-setters who live in a 6-plus million dollar Fort Lauderdale home and were known for driving a veritable fleet of expensive sports cars and showering their favorite charities with big donations. A flamboyant character who was once pictured on billboards with Miami Dolphins great Dan Marino, Rothstein grew up in a lower-middle class family in the Bronx. He's now out of town and possibly out of the country -- no one knows where exactly -- and the Feds have reportedly shown up at his law firm offices.

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Alan Mendelsohn

Lobbyist's Political Fundraising Paid For Mistress's Gifts, Kids' School Fees, Say Feds

Zachary Roth | September 30, 2009, 5:01PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) and Alan Mendelsohn

The nature of the complex fraud allegedly orchestrated by Florida lobbyist Alan Mendelsohn -- who pleaded not guilty today in court -- is getting a bit clearer.

Based on the indictment filed today -- and with help from this AP story -- here's how it worked:

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Alan Mendelsohn

Feds: Indicted Florida Lobbyist Used Political Funds For Shag Pad

Zachary Roth | September 30, 2009, 3:19PM

Alan Mendelsohn

Alan Mendelsohn, the indicted Florida lobbyist and Charlie Crist supporter, diverted some of the money he raised through political contributions to buy a love-nest for himself and his girlfriend, and a car for her, according to documents filed today by federal prosecutors.

From the indictment:

Between in or about April 2003 and continuing through February 2005, Mendelsohn caused approximately $60,000 in checks to be sent directly to his mistress on a monthly basis, and additional checks to be sent to his mistress through a corporation she created at Mendelsohn's suggestion in March 2004 to receive the funds covertly....

According to the indictment, Mendelsohn is married. In a handwritten addition, prosecutors refer to "$100,000 personal surety to be co-signed by wife, sister and brother-in-law."

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Alan Mendelsohn

Crist Wrote Recommendation Letter For Now-Indicted Lobbyist's Son

Zachary Roth | September 30, 2009, 2:35PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) and Alan Mendelsohn

We knew that Florida governor Charlie Crist was tight with indicted lobbyist and fundraiser Alan Mendelsohn. The politically connected eye doctor has raised big bucks for Crist, a Republican, and in 2006 was named to the governor-elect's transition team as the director of healthcare issues.

But it turns out the two were so close that Crist also did a more personal favor for Mendelsohn. In February 2007, Governor Crist wrote a letter to the University of Florida's admissions office, urging it to admit Mendelsohn's son Benjamin to the university's medical school. The younger Mendelsohn was later admitted, even though he hadn't taken the MCAT and had been rejected by the university's selection committee.

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Alan Mendelsohn

Mendelsohn Hosted "Marco Rubio U.S. Senate Kickoff"

Zachary Roth | September 30, 2009, 1:00PM

Alan Mendelsohn

It's not just Charlie Crist who has ties to indicted Florida fundraiser and lobbyist Alan Mendelsohn.

In March, the Miami Herald reported (via Nexis):

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Charlie Crist

Feds: Crist Ally Falsely Claimed He Thwarted Probe Of Insurance Company

Zachary Roth | September 30, 2009, 12:25PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) and Alan Mendelsohn

The Miami Herald runs down the back-story to the indictment of Alan Mendelsohn, the Florida doctor and lobbyist -- and close ally of Governor Charlie Crist -- who's been charged with running fraudulent lobbying and political fundraising schemes.

Mendelsohn's alleged crimes center around his ties to Mutual Benefits Corp., a Fort Lauderdale life insurance company which was being investigated by the state for defrauding investors. Mutual Benefits operates by selling the life insurance policies of people dying of AIDS and other diseases -- a line of business that, a recent New York Times report suggested, may replace sub-prime mortgages as the basis for the next investment bubble.

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Lobbyists

Close Crist Ally Indicted In Alleged Fundraising And Lobbying Scheme

Zachary Roth | September 30, 2009, 11:34AM

Alan Mendelsohn

A lobbyist who's a close ally of Florida governor Charlie Crist has been indicted for allegedly orchestrating a fraudulent fund-raising and lobbying scheme.

Federal prosecutors say that Alan Mendelsohn funneled to himself over $350,000 from contributions to political organizations he controlled. They also allege that, in order to get around lobbying disclosure rules, Mendelsohn had his lobbying clients make $274,000 in payments to third parties -- including tuition payments to his children's schools -- on his behalf.

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