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How Much is Too Much? – Second Circuit Establishes Guardrails for Sentencing Hearings
FEATURED
June 22, 2026
How Much is Too Much? – Second Circuit Establishes Guardrails for Sentencing Hearings
By: James Trusty
As any federal criminal practitioner can attest, judges holding a sentencing hearing are privy to an intentionally wider universe of information about the defendant than a jury would have heard about at trial. We want judges to consider all sorts of things about the offender and the offense, beyond just the facts establishing the crime – social background, employment history, criminal record, substance abuse history, mental health issues, and more. Particularly in federal proceedings, a lot of ink, angst, and argument is devoted to addressing thorny issues of unadjudicated “relevant conduct” and “jointly undertaken criminal activity.” In many cases, these expansive concepts can lead to a tax case having the same penalty as a murder prosecution (“Al Capone sentenced for tax evasion”) or a judge holding defendant…
Robotic Risk—but Is the Ultimate Answer Still a Human One?
May 26, 2026
Robotic Risk—but Is the Ultimate Answer Still a Human One?
By: Lauren Scribner
It now goes without saying that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a convenient solution for accomplishing certain tedious tasks, such as planning an upcoming trip, figuring out what to make for dinner with ingredients already on hand, or adding some professional flare to an email. But when it comes to some of the more high-stakes areas of life, such as obtaining financial, medical, or legal…
Murdaugh She Wrote
May 21, 2026
Murdaugh She Wrote
By: James Trusty
As the information regarding Alex Murdaugh’s conniving, murderous ways began to spread far beyond the Lowcountry of South Carolina and into the cable and social media airwaves, a curious and ominous thing took root. The temptation of star power and riches slumped stealthily behind the public face of the proceedings, causing a low-level bureaucrat to destroy the notion of an impartial jury in one of…
As the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act Takes Hold, U.S. Sees Expatriates at All-Time High
March 12, 2014
As the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act Takes Hold, U.S. Sees Expatriates at All-Time High
By: Nicole Kardell
Are you living the American dream … abroad? If so, you may be considering joining forces with Superman[1] and changing your nationality. You face some unique burdens if you earn a cent while soaking up the sun in Saint Tropez or make a rupee while navigating the marketplace in Mumbai. The most obvious, from a financial perspective, is double taxation. America is one of the…
$76 Million Distributed in Full Tilt Poker Restitution
March 1, 2014
$76 Million Distributed in Full Tilt Poker Restitution
By: Ifrah Law
We have previously reported on the arrangements being made by the Garden City Group for remittance of money to the former customers of Full Tilt Poker. Since that time, there has been a lengthy process for the submission of claims to the group for administration. It appears that players’ waiting has not been all for naught. The Garden City Group reports that, on February 28,…
Omnicare Decision Limits the Reach of False Claims Act
February 28, 2014
Omnicare Decision Limits the Reach of False Claims Act
By: Ifrah Law
A recent decision by the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit limiting the reach of the False Claims Act demonstrates how relators who pursue cases in which the government declines to intervene can end up making law that is unfavorable to the government’s enforcement of that statute. United States ex rel. Rostholder v. Omnicare, Inc., et al., No. 12-2431, a qui tam case alleging…
Jeff Ifrah Presents on the Future of Online Gaming at J.P. Morgan Global High Yield & Leveraged Finance Conference
February 26, 2014
Jeff Ifrah Presents on the Future of Online Gaming at J.P. Morgan Global High Yield & Leveraged Finance Conference
By: Michelle Cohen
Yesterday, at the annual J. P. Morgan Global High Yield & Leveraged Finance Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, Ifrah Law Founding Member Jeff Ifrah shared his predictions for the growing online gaming industry in the U.S. and in Europe. Susan Berliner, an analyst with J.P. Morgan who covers gaming and lodging, moderated the panel, which also included Marc Falcone, CFO of Fertitta Entertainment/Station Casinos, and…
Banks Shy Away From Processing Marijuana Transactions in Colorado – Will Anyone Step Up?
February 21, 2014
Banks Shy Away From Processing Marijuana Transactions in Colorado – Will Anyone Step Up?
By: Steven Eichorn
Last Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen), both published new guidance in connection with the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado. Because marijuana use remains illegal under federal law, the banking industry is prohibited from servicing any marijuana-related bank accounts. This forces the recreational marijuana industry to operate on an all-cash basis, which increases public…
