Billionaire convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein recently committed suicide in the Special Housing Unit (the “SHU”) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, a federal pre-trial detention facility in Manhattan, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Judge Richard M. Berman had earlier denied Epstein’s request for…
Topic: Criminal Defense
If you work in the securities industry, the responsibilities that you shoulder can be overwhelming. You are under tremendous pressure from your firm and your clients to make the most money possible. But the government’s regulatory agencies are watching your every move, ready to pounce…
Topic: Securities Litigation
The New York State legislature recently passed sweeping reforms to the operation of the state’s criminal justice system. Those reforms, which become effective in January 2020, will profoundly transform how criminal cases are litigated in the state. Among other things, cash bail has been eliminated…
Topic: Criminal Defense
To succeed in business often requires a measure of self-promotion and puffery. No matter how good your products and services are, you won’t sell them unless you know how to get noticed. But if you take it too far, you may find yourself in trouble…
Topic: Criminal Defense, Fraud
Recently, Lawyerist published their list of Top 10 Best Law Firm websites for 2019, and Protass Law PLLC is honored to be selected. Lawyerist complimented the site’s “dark mode” design, fast load time for various pages, and more, and NYC criminal defense attorney Harlan Protass…
Topic: Criminal Defense, Firm News
On December 21, 2018 President Trump signed the First Step Act into law. While there is much left to be done for criminal justice reform in this country, this recent legislative development is a welcome step towards increased fairness in the federal criminal justice system….
Topic: Appeals & Post-Conviction Litigation, Criminal Defense
The statistics on securities class-action lawsuits for 2018 are in and, though some numbers will come as no surprise, there are some trends to watch for in 2019. According to the New York Law Journal, the total number of securities-related class-actions decreased slightly in 2018…
Topic: Securities Litigation
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged boxer Floyd Mayweather and music producer DJ Khaled with illegally promoting investments into Initial Coin Offerings, more commonly known as ICOs. This is the first time the SEC has taken regulatory action against people promoting investments in…
Topic: Criminal Defense
Two prominent American media companies and their owners are facing criminal charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York for allegedly defrauding their banks. IBT Media, also known as Newsweek Media Group, and Christian Media Corp (CMC) took out millions of dollars…
Topic: Criminal Defense, Fraud
Everyone has heard the phrase “white-collar crime.” But when it comes to explaining these types of offenses, people often repeat common misconceptions.
Topic: Criminal Defense, White-Collar Crime
Detroit Free Press
Written by Harlan Protass
Attorney Harlan Protass co-authored a piece with a federal inmate about the effects of stacking § 924(c) charges.
An executive at a Wall Street bank was alleged to have assaulted his girlfriend by pushing her into a closet – relatively straightforward charges that were complicated because he had been charged with assaulting the same girlfriend less than six months earlier and had violated…
A husband and wife who operated IDTFs (Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities) were recently charged in state and federal court for having operated a large-scale Medicaid fraud, submitting more than $42 million in fraudulent claims for various diagnostic tests (sonograms, neurological tests, and other diagnostic exams)….
