BROWARD COUNTY ATTORNEY EXONERATED AFTER MORTGAGE FRAUD TRIAL Following Not Guilty Verdict on Four Counts, Federal

Prosecutors Drop Remaining Three Counts After a two week trial before United States District Court Judge Kenneth A. Marra, a federal jury has exonerated Broward County Title Attorney Michael Samuda. Samuda, who was represented by attorneys Robin Kaplan and Jeffrey A. Neiman, owned and operated Pines Law Center, which provided real estate closing services through its offices located in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The dismissal of remaining charges comes a month after a federal jury in West Palm Beach found Mr. Samuda not guilty of four counts of wire fraud. The jury had been split eleven to one for acquittal on the remaining counts. Mr. Samuda had been charged along with eight other defendants in three indictments all relating to real estate transactions within the Versailles development in Wellington, Florida. The government had successfully prosecuted the other eight charged individuals; however, Mr. Samuda was the only defendant to insist on proceeding to trial to clear his name. Ms. Kaplan and Mr. Neiman presented evidence to the jury that Mr. Samuda did not intentionally commit any wrongdoing, but rather his alleged coconspirators had lied and manipulated his title company, just as they had lied and manipulated the underlying bank who provided loans for the purchase of real estate. A nationally recognized litigator, Mr. Neiman focuses his practice on complex criminal litigation and tax controversies. He has represented and defended a wide array of professionals in the corporate arena, including attorneys, executives, accountants, and other professionals. Neiman spent nine years as a federal prosecutor in South Florida and Washington, D.C. where he specialized in criminal tax and other white collar matters.