MIAMI (AP) — A disbarred South Florida lawyer convicted of operating a $1.2 billion fraud scheme will not get a reduction in his 50-year prison sentence.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected the latest effort by 57-year-old Scott Rothstein to possibly get out of jail early.
Rothstein claims prosecutors improperly reneged on a promise to reduce his sentence because of his cooperation in other cases. They say he lied to them that some of the stolen money was spent on hidden jewelry for his then-wife.
Rothstein ran a now-defunct Fort Lauderdale law practice that included his admitted scam to persuade investors to put money into legal settlements that turned out to be phony.
The scheme imploded a decade ago. More than 30 people were convicted of crimes.
