User:Mohim15482/sandbox

Early Life and Education
Todd Spodek was born in 1979, in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a bankruptcy attorney and his mother was a high school guidance counselor. He went to Edward R. Murrow High School and attended Northeastern University in Boston, MA majoring in criminal justice. Spodek received his J.D. from Pace University School of Law where he was recommended for Moot Court successfully arguing criminal cases.

Career
After graduating from law school, and being admitted to the New York State Bar in 2007, Spodek took over his father’s law firm in Manhattan and morphed it into a criminal defense, divorce and family law trial law firm. https://www.speakeasymarketinginc.com/podcast/how-to-make-your-firm-stand-out-in-the-crowd/?fbclid=IwAR1LpUeyzy80cHVdiPEDaaG0ze9Sg2EF5KnRVCd_zQvE8Tt6HPiIq6COCq4

Spodek has represented a number of notable figures, including Canadian actress Genevieve Sabourin; Devon Coughman (who was acquitted of murder charges in the death of Cheyenne Baez); Jason Amolsch, an owner of a tattoo parlor that once employed Michael Mineo, the Brooklyn man at the center of a police brutality case; legal expert and international litigation attorney Rahul Manchanda; Parvattie Raghunandan who was charged in one of the biggest cases of welfare fraud in the Bronx; South Street Seaport Italian Chef Vananzio Pasubio; accountant for Henri Bendel, Sanjay Domadar; Brooklyn Eyeglass Merchant Maksim Grinberg; Staten Island resident and Susan Wagner High School parent Karen Shearon; Mott Haven resident Alberto Aquino-Simon whose case was the subject of a NYT expose on Murders in the 4-0 (40th precinct); Ralph Lauren employee Jamari Williams; Pastor James Love; and Sonam Kukreja who was charged with enterprise corruption as part of a massive identity theft ring.

Most recently, Spodek has represented Las Vegas’ Joseph Amico who spoke out against high-profile NYC anti-discrimination attorney, Douglas Wigdor, and his class action lawsuit against Fox News; Nomura Holdings, Inc. banker Zheheng Fang who was charged animal cruelty; and New York City pharmacist Hin T. Wong who was accused of multimillion dollar medicaid fraud; and Puis Wilson, on allegations that he is a member of an international cybercrime syndicate Infraud Organization; Louis Bendel who was charged with skimming $4 million dollars from Con Edison; Bronx Global Learning Institute for Girls teacher Ryan Evans on allegations of sex abuse; Filipino energy CEO Terence Tang who was indicted on sexual abuse charges; Professional Engineer and CEO of Haider Engineering, Syed Haider who was charged part of the New York City DEP bribery and government corruption indictment unsealed in 2018; and German national Anna Delvey.

Genevieve Sabourin Trial
Spodek’s profile rose following the 2012 trial of client Genevieve Sabourin, on charges of stalking among other things. The charges stemmed from a romantic relationship with actor Alec Baldwin. The two had met on the set of movie in 2000, and had a romantic dinner in 2010 that allegedly ended in a sexual encounter. The dinner came after mutual friend Martin Bregman, producer of movies, including Scarface, had Baldwin call her as she sought career help.

The parties maintained an email and phone relationship over the next two years, but when Sabourin showed up at Baldwin’s Manhattan home in 2012 looking to see him, he had her arrested.

During her trial Sabourin faced contempt of court charges for repeatedly disrupting court proceedings and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

During closing statements of her bench trial, Spodek argued to the Judge that  Baldwin “doesn’t have carte blanche to use the criminal justice system to sort out his relationships.”

“He set her up at a luxury hotel. He took her on a once-in-a-lifetime, fairy-tale date... Was Ms. Sabourin wrong to think that this was more than a one-night stand?”

The trial concluded in a conviction and Sabourin was sentenced to 210 days in jail.

https://people.com/crime/alec-baldwin-stalker-genevieve-sabourin-sentenced-to-six-months-in-jail/

Karen Shearon Trial
On January 17, 2016, Spodek was hired to represent a Karen Shearon who was accused of threatening to blow up Susan E. Wagner High School after her daughter failed a Regents exam.

Shearon was arrested in February 2015 and charged with misdemeanor aggravated harassment. In March of 2016, Shearon rejected all plea offers from the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office and a jury trial was scheduled for May 4, 2016.

Spodek argued that every piece of evidence went against the charges. “The complainant was not scared, and not one precaution was taken by the school, let alone an evacuation, after a so called bomb threat.”

Spodek told the jury in closing statements that “words alone don’t mean anything. Tone matters. Context matters. Demeanor matters.” The jury returned a not guilty verdict after 30 minutes of deliberation.

Mott Haven and Murders in the 4-0
On May 17, 2016, Spodek was hired by 19 year old Alberto Aquino-Simon of East Harlem, to represent him on charges of second degree murder. Aquino-Simon was facing 25 years to life if convicted at trial. From the outset of his representation, Spodek argued that Aquino-Simon was acting in self-defense when the victim brandished a steak knife, and tried to slash Aquino-Simon inside a building vestibule.

Aquino-Simon “was running for his life, and had nowhere to retreat to, and feared for his life and was justified in using deadly force.” Aquino-Simon’s case was the subject of an expose by the New York Times of all the murders in the 4-0 (40th Precinct) in 2016.

On the eve of trial, Spodek secured a plea deal which saw Aquino-Simon plead guilty to manslaughter in the the first degree, and on August 29, 2018 he was sentenced to a determinate sentence of eight and half years in prison. Aquino-Simon is scheduled to be released in August of 2023.

Joseph Amico Terroristic Thrat Charegs
On May 10, 2017, Las Vegas authorities executed a search warrant in the home of one Joseph Amico on charges of making terroristic threats against a high profile anti-discrimination lawyer from New York, Douglas Wigdor, who wa former law partner to late Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson. SWAT surrounded Amico’s home which lead to a 5 hour stand-off. In light of his extradition to New York City, Amico retained Spodek.

Amico indicted on making terroristic threats among other charges, was released on a $50,000.00 bond despite the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office request for a minimum of $200,000.00. Amico, a huge supporter of president Donald J. Trump, was upset with Wigdor for his representation of a number of former Fox News employees in a class action lawsuit against the network for racial discrimination.

Spodek argued that “words can be misinterpreted...and in this political climate people are so worked up about the issues that its very easy for words to be misunderstood and  hysteria to take place.”

On June 15, 2018, Spodek secured a plea deal “which would allow [Amico] to be proactive in getting to the root of the problems.” Amico was sentenced to time-served plus five years probation, with a mental health treatment component obligation.

Spodek explained that “mental health issues often times are not appropriately dealt with in the criminal justice system.”

Nomura Holdings Banker Animal Cruetly Charges
Spodek was hired by Nomura Holdings banker Zheheng Feng in the summer of 2017 to represent him on charges of animal cruelty after he was alleged to have stabbed and killed his girlfriend’s dog and threw it down a garbage chute in their Midtown apartment.

Following Feng’s arrest the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office launched an Animal Cruelty Program investigating cases in conjunction with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the NYPD’s Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad. https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/manhattan-da-launches-squad-investigate-animal-cruelty-cases-article-1.3622729

After much negotiating, Spodek secured a “sweetheart deal” which saw Feng serve under 30 days in Rikers Island after pleading guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals. A far cry from what other similarly situated defendants have received. Feng, a chinese national, here on a work visa and facing deportation chose to voluntarily leave the country.

His case was the subject of much debate as it relates to deportation of illegal aliens in sanctuary cities. Mayor Bill de Blasio's sanctuary law prohibits city agencies from detailing anyone on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or provide the feds with information regarding a defendant’s address, crime or date of release, without a warrant. And even than only if the

defendant has been found guilty of a “violent or serious crime” in the past five years.

Infraud Organization
In February 2018, the Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against Infraud Organization, an international cybercrime organization, that since October 2010 was allegedly involved in carding, stealing personal credit cards and online banking information. Federal authorities out of Las Vegas, NV indicted 36 individuals on RICO charges part of a global take down.

Spodek was hired by New York resident Pius Wilson and trial is scheduled for October 2019.

New York City Department of Environmental Protection $165M Bribery and Government Corruption Scheme
In April 2018 Spodek was hired by CEO of Haider Engineering P.C, Syed Haider to represent him and his engineering firm on bribery and government corruption charges. On April 18, 2018 Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the New York City Department of Investigation, along with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority  unsealed an indictment against 13 individuals and 9 companies for engaging in three separate schemes involving bribery, business fraud, and political campaign contributions.

In April of 2019, Spodek secured a no jail deal for Haider personally, and obtained a Deferred Prosecution Agreement saving Haider Engineering P.C. as a business entity able to continue to do business with the local, state and federal authorities.

==Anna Delvey Trial == In the summer of 2017 Spodek was hired by german national Anna Sorokin-Delvey to represent her on misdemeanor theft of services charges after she was arrested for allegedly skipping out on hotel and restaurant bills.

After missing court in September of 2017, she was indicted on attempted grand larceny and grand larceny charges based on allegations she attempted to secure a 22 million dollar loan to finance her project “The Anna Delvey Foundation” also known as ADF, as we as allegations she cheated Williams into paying for a trip to Morocco and allegedly scammed financial institutions out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. She was returned to New York from California on an arrest warrant after being set up by Williams. Sorokin was remanded to custody and deemed a flight risk.

Sorokin-Delvey attempted to plea bargain, asking Judge Diane Kiesel to sentence her to 1 to 3 years in upstate prison. The court rejecting her request recommended a sentence of 3 to 9 years in prison. Sorokin-Delvey rejected the offer.

On the eve of trial, Spodek had secured a plea deal for Sorokin wherein, she had the opportunity to take advantage of a state law that allows foreigners to serve just half of their sentence minimum before taking voluntary departure.

Under New York State executive law ‘Condition Parole for Deportation Only’ Sorokin would be permitted to finish the proposed three-to-nine (year) plea within a few months, and voluntarily return to Germany. However, Sorokin had declined all offers and proceeded with a jury trial on a ten count indictment.

Sorokin’s trial had dozens of witnesses. Some of those were: representatives from City National Bank, Fortress Investment Group, Citibank, American Express, Andy Lance of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, former Vanity Fair photo editor Rachel DeLoache Williams, Gabriel Calatrava, the son of Spanish architect, structural design and analyst engineer, sculptor and painter Santiago Calatrava who designed the WTC Transportation Hub, the CFO of Blade, a digitally-powered aviation company based in New York City, representatives of RFR Realty runned by Aby Rosen, Le Méridien, The Beekman Hotel, 11 Howard, The W hotel, East West Bank, Deutsche Bank, and Signature Bank among others.

After a five week trial, Sorokin-Delvey was acquitted on the top charge or attempted grand larceny, and grand larceny and convicted on the remaining eight counts.

In May 2018, Netflix purchased the rights to Jessica Pressler's story on Sorokin's case which is being developed into a series by Shonda Rhimes.

Separately, HBO purchased the rights to the story by former Vanity Fair photo editor Rachel DeLoache Williams, which is reportedly being developed into a similar series by Lena Dunham. Williams’ story is also being turned into a book by Simon & Schuster.

After being acquitted on the two top counts of a ten count indictment, Ms. Sorokin was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison for all crimes. With more than eighteen months in custody at the time of sentencing, she faces approximately 2 1/2 years in prison before being eligible for parole; unless she chooses to accept voluntary departure to Germany, in which case, she will be eligible for an even earlier release date. The maximum sentence on the top count alone was 5 to 15 years in prison.

Personal Life
Spodek’s ancestry goes back to Poland which, for centuries, was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Being of polish descent, his name has two distinct meanings. Within the orthodox community his name stands for a tall hat worn by some Hasidic Jews, particularly members of sects originating in Congress Poland. In Polish, Spodek means “saucer” a type of small dishware.

His wife Victoria is an attorney and Claims Analyst at AIG. The Spodek’s live in Park Slope, Brooklyn since 20__. The couple have two children, Zachary and Zelda, and Spodek’s older brother, Brent is a Conservative rabbi in Beacon, New York. http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/January-2016/People-to-Watch/Brent-Spodek/

Links Of Media
Cases

Anna Delvey - current

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6963739/Upset-Anna-Sorokin-vows-appeal-conviction-guilty.html

https://www.thisisinsider.com/anna-delvey-lawyer-interview-trial-scam-2019-4

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/anna-delvey-trial-soho-grifter-blade-startup-819435/

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqSQgKIkNDQklTTERvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoOGFIV1IwWDJsUU1FSXhURmhuVGpjMFRYSlNOVmRXWWswd1FXVldTa2ROS0FBUAE?q=todd+spodek&lr=English&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBjqK0rdDhAhUiwVkKHRODD0cQqgIINjAD&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqSQgKIkNDQklTTERvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoOGFIV1J2UW5GNGFHWndkRVJXU0cxSlRWbE5lRTVZUzBsUk5sbFNiV2hOS0FBUAE?q=todd+spodek&lr=English&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBjqK0rdDhAhUiwVkKHRODD0cQqgIIOzAE&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqSQgKIkNDQklTTERvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoOGFIV1JQZDBkM1JXNDNhME5XTXpoTFRWazNObTlOU3pGWmREWmZVaTFOS0FBUAE?q=todd+spodek&lr=English&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBjqK0rdDhAhUiwVkKHRODD0cQqgIIQzAG&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqSQgKIkNDQklTTERvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoOGFIV1IxV0RWMFgwbHljWE5SV0hZM1RWaFNZazlGWDBaRGQwZERhWEJOS0FBUAE?q=todd+spodek&lr=English&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBjqK0rdDhAhUiwVkKHRODD0cQqgIISDAH&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqSQgKIkNDQklTTERvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoOGFIV1JHVW01RU5VNVBNMTltZGpSTlRYRm9MVXg0TFZkTlJIbEVURGxOS0FBUAE?q=todd+spodek&lr=English&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBjqK0rdDhAhUiwVkKHRODD0cQqgIIUDAJ&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqSQgKIkNDQklTTERvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoOGFIV1JWTkVkamQyNUJYMjB6WTJ0cFRVTjJVMWczTmxCRVdsbHNZakJOS0FBUAE?q=todd+spodek&lr=English&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjF8uyPrtDhAhWu1lkKHf_pBEs4FBCqAggwMAI&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges/

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/03/27/breaking-news/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges/

http://time.com/5559608/anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-begins-fake-heiress/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj2qUoH91yo

https://cbs3duluth.com/news/national-news-from-the-associated-press/2019/03/27/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges/

https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-trial-begins-for-german-woman-who-allegedly-swindled-victims-out-of-275000-in-socialite-scam

https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending-now/woman-claims-to-be-german-heiress-lives-high-life-prosecutors-say/934648296

https://www.newser.com/story/273136/she-was-a-german-heiress-worth-60m-or-so-she-said.html

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/Fake-Heiress-Anna-Sorokin-New-York-Charge-Arrest-507716841.html

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-anna-sorokin-trial-openings-20190327-yhganls5xfexfiet3piy3asu4e-story.html

https://www.americanpress.com/wire/the-latest-lawyer-fake-heiress-didn-t-mean-to-commit/article_5f9ef9b5-4c13-5b6e-b6d3-7f57deef0442.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6855203/Woman-accused-fraud-German-heiress-ruse.html

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1473221/offbeat

https://yourvalley.net/yourvalley/nation/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges/

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/woman-accused-of-fraud-over-german-heiress-ruse-37955741.html

https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/heiress-hoax-woman-bilked-friends-banks-to-live-in-luxury/1880500044

https://nypost.com/2019/03/27/lawyer-quotes-frank-sinatra-tune-to-defend-wannabe-socialite-anna-sorokin/

https://www.wmagazine.com/story/anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-court-look

https://www.syracuse.com/state/2019/03/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-new-york-city-celebrity-treatment-charges.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anna-sorokin-fake-heiress-tricked-nyc-socialites-for-years-then-the-hoax-unraveled/

https://canoe.com/news/crime/heiress-hoax-who-craved-expensive-jet-set-lifestyle-inherits-charges

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/crime/article/The-Latest-Lawyer-Fake-heiress-didn-t-mean-to-13720702.php

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/german-heiress-new-york-fraud-anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-con-a8842056.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6855203/Woman-accused-fraud-German-heiress-ruse.html

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3003503/not-cent-her-name-fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-who

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/03/27/phony-heiress-trial/

https://www.barrierestarjournal.com/news/german-heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges/

https://www.boston.com/news/national-news/2019/03/27/anna-sorokin-anna-delvey

https://torontosun.com/news/crime/heiress-hoax-who-craved-expensive-jet-set-lifestyle-inherits-charges/wcm/f7efa8aa-9a7d-4b8d-bfe0-9107a4b196b9

https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/woman-accused-of-fraud-over-german-heiress-ruse-913600.html

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges

https://wina.com/news/030030-fake-heiress-life-of-luxury-left-others-footing-big-bills/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/27/anna-sorokin-anna-delvey-trial-fake-heiress

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/111603673/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges

https://www.channel24.co.za/TV/News/this-woman-faked-a-lavish-lifestyle-and-shonda-rhimes-is-turning-it-into-a-tv-show-20190328-2

https://www.castanet.net/news/World/252515/Heiress-hoax-grand-larceny

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/anna-lived-a-life-of-luxury-in-new-york-s-social-scene-then-it-all-came-undone-20190328-p518bt.html

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12216948

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-28/fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-on-trial-for-swindling-new-yorkers/10947338

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100374/fake-heiress-scores-celebrity-treatment-and-charges

https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-1.29044316

https://www.metro.news/phoney-had-to-fake-it-till-she-could-make-it/1493882/

https://au.news.yahoo.com/living-hotels-100-tips-fake-heiress-kept-socialite-lifestyle-013444313.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANDIXcSIQZr3XYS_xYr-oR05KL4sBolBQw-zYTrKFeRA1dln4cGBS_vJyIC-0ANTiHJ2a9dCOGnKbs5ASq3vRakQMG4OBEqEuJOIY-QrfQb7idj9inV9q19roWG7wEj293LL4hlid3WUp8bJFe5fz2uSpZyZxh4tBq5MBDUmJJvB

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/27/anna-sorokin-fake-heiress-lived-life-luxury-left-o/

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges-1.1235513

https://gvwire.com/2019/03/27/fake-heiress-life-of-luxury-left-others-footing-bills/

https://www.wptv.com/news/local-news/water-cooler/heiress-hoax-scores-woman-celebrity-treatment-and-charges

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2019/03/27/fake-heiress-life-luxury-left-others-footing-big-bills/jWyXVF828pMeMKapxhVAWK/story.html

https://wtop.com/national/2019/03/the-latest-lawyer-fake-heiress-didnt-mean-to-commit-crime/

https://news.sky.com/story/fraud-charge-german-heiress-anna-sorokin-was-seduced-by-glamour-and-glitz-11676743