Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Mark Weissman, an attorney licensed to practice in the State of New York since 1989, pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding. Specifically, Weissman engaged in a scheme to impede the enforcement of another individual’s obligation to pay millions of dollars in court-ordered restitution to victims in an unrelated securities fraud case. When sentenced, Weissman faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine in an amount to be determined by the court. The guilty plea was entered before United States District Court Chief Judge Dora L. Irizarry.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, Weissman has been held responsible for attempting to impede the execution of a restitution judgment that was to be paid to victims of a massive fraud," stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office will vigorously prosecute corrupt attorneys who assist in violations of the law." Mr. Donoghue thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation for their assistance with the investigation.
According to Court filings, in 2011 and 2012, two individuals (Individual A and Individual B) pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. At their sentencing proceedings in 2014, they were ordered to pay approximately $12.7 million in restitution to the victims of their securities fraud scheme. Thereafter, in February 2017, Weissman advised Individual A that incriminating information about him would be provided to law enforcement, unless he paid $6 million to Individual B. At his guilty plea proceeding today, Weissman admitted that he believed this payment would impede the enforcement of the restitution judgment against Individual B.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Reilly is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MARK WEISSMAN (also known as “Meyer Weissman")
Age: 55
Lawrence, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-524 (DLI)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
