Returned funds offer small hope for swindled law firm

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A law-firm gutted by an accused con-man has received an unexpected windfall.

A court hearing Friday revealed the law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt and Adler received a $200,000 check returned to them by the state Democratic Party for campaign contributions. The question remains if this money will be enough to keep the 70 or so attorneys at the firm afloat, at least temporarily.

Scott Rothstein, a former partner, now stands accused of ripping the firm off of $500 million in a Ponzi scheme, and it was clear in court Friday that the firm's clients, trustees and investors were not the only ones looted, but the law firm as well.

Wednesday night, Stuart Rosenfeldt stood in front of the law firm as the FBI and IRS raided what was left of the law firm, after allegations his partner and friends said Rothstein had looted company accounts, client's trust fund accounts and investor's accounts of hundreds and millions of dollars

Judge Jeffrey Strightfelt appointed a retired judge to over see the law firm finances. "Judge, it's hard to believe that a week ago this was a dynamic law firm with attorneys and secretaries and other staff, having a secure future, secure lives and looking ahead to a good future. That will be shattered by one of the biggest bomb shells in Florida's legal history," said Retired judge Herbert Stettin.

"Many of them have already been here and they will stay on with out any assurance of pay for the next two weeks at least. We have approximately $300,000 in the bank in the new account. Most of which came from a check returned by the Florida Democratic Party for $200,000, it helps," said Stettin.

Judge Strightfelt is trying to keep the law firm somewhat intact in order to protect the 70 lawyers who work for the law firm. Strightfelt wants everyone to check with him Monday in order to protect all the clients of the law firm and the cases that are all ready going on.

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