In a much anticipated move, Kim Rothstein, the so-called “free-spending” wife of Scott Rothstein, the Florida lawyer convicted of money laundering for running a Ponzi scheme through his now-defunct law firm, has been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Kim Rothstein’s lawyer, Scott Saidel and her close friend, Stacie Weisman, were also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stem from allegations that they attempted to hide more than US$1 million in jewelery from federal authorities to avoid the jewelry being seized when Scott Rothstein was charged in 2009.
In 2010, Scott Rothstein was sentenced to 50 years in prison for money laundering, and other charges. At the time of his arrest, he owned more than a dozen luxury homes, 21 exotic cars, a 87-foot yacht, and a handful of restaurants. Nine years ago, he was worth less than US$200,000. The incredible fortune he amassed in such a short period of time was derived illicitly, and much of it from firm clients. His Ponzi scheme was the largest investment fraud scheme in Florida history.