Here's Charlie Crist with his "pal" Scott Rothstein.
2009 ABC NEWS REPORT/ FLORIDA'S INFAMOUS SCOTT ROTHSTEIN Court documents filed 2009 by federal authorities sought the forfeiture of $1.2 billion he stole in Rothstein's massive Ponzis cheme. Federal agents seized $60 million worth of assets that hint at the lavishness of Rothstein's lifestyle.
A selection of the items Rothstein purchased with other people's money included 20 luxury cars, 15 homes and other properties, an 87-foot yacht, 304 pieces of jewelry and $12 million stashed in Moroccan banks (Rothstein briefly fled to Morocco with some $20 million for three months when rumors of his alleged scam began to circulate. He returned by chartered jet in November to face US justice).
Rothstein falsified and manufactured numerous court documents---and even forged the names of judges---to inveigle unsuspecting investors into a scheme that purported to invest in fake liability court settlements that guaranteed a high rate of return. Rothstein connived to get investors by saying he was the lawyer in hundreds of settlement cases whereas lawyers say that the numbers Rothstein bandied about were an impossibility.
Rothstein also stole monies from his clients that were placed in escrow accounts that are never supposed to be touched. Rothstein begged for mercy but the judge gave Rothstein 20 years more than even prosecutors had asked. He is now serving 50 years in a federal prison.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY---HUFF POST REPORTED 8/6 2012---SCOTT'S WIFE, KIM ROTHSTEIN was charged with money laundering conspiracy and other charges for allegedly concealing more than $1 million in jewelry from federal investigators and later attempting to sell some of it.
Prosecutors filed the charges against Kim Rothstein, 38, and four other people named as her co-conspirators. One key piece was a 12-carat diamond ring that was central to the bankruptcy proceedings in the collapse of Rothstein's Ponzi and his storied law firm---Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler.
A local jewelry store that had sold the ring to Scott Rothstein was trying to find it, leading to a web of lies and deception that even included a false claim that the ring had been sold to a dead man, prosecutors said. Kim even inveigled the jailed Rothstein to testify falsely WRT the ring.
In a February 2010 bankruptcy deposition, Kim Rothstein falsely testified under oath that "all of the missing jewelry had been turned over to the government." Now, prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of those items that were secreted by Kim Rothstein:
_Five rings, including the infamous 12-carat ring, her engagement ring, and a wedding band w/ 18 emerald cut diamonds.
_10 watches, a Rolex Daytona Cosmograph with leopard print design, a women's gold and diamond Piaget and a platinum and diamond Pierre Kunz.
_5 sets of earrings, four necklaces, two bracelets.
_A pair of pearl, diamond and sapphire cufflinks; several silver pens;
_A variety of gold coins, including 26 South African Krugerrands and 50 1-ounce gold bars.
_More than $33,000 in cash.
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CHARLIE CRIST AND 2008 CAMPAIGN FLOP JOHN MCCAIN
ROTHSTEIN AND MCCAIN (McC returned Rothstein's campaign donations)
