WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., June 2 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Florida, Kenneth Marra, said it was his forged name attached to fraudulent court documents used in a scam that netted $57 million.
The fraud was developed by former attorney Scott Rothstein, who is serving a 50-year prison sentence on charges connected to the state's largest-ever Ponzi scheme, which duped investors out of $363 million, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Thursday.
In the $57 million fraud, Rothstein invented court documents to create a fictitious court case to defraud car dealer Ed Morse and his wife. The couple were suing an interior decorator at the time.
The same judge, however, was also assigned at random to preside over the case of Howard Kusnick, a former Scott Rothstein law partner, who is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role helping the Ponzi schemer.
Kusnick turned himself in to authorities Wednesday and will face a jury trial, the newspaper reported. Marra alerted authorities on Tuesday that it was his name forged on the documents, the newspaper said.
Kusnick was released on $100,000 bond.
Kusnick's attorney Joshua Rydell said, "Howard is deeply remorseful and apologizes to all concerned, including his family, from whom he has withheld the truth about his wrongdoing."
