Wife of Convicted Ponzi Scheme Operator Rothstein Wants Her Jewelry Back
Florida Ponzi scheme operator Scott Rothstein, sentenced recently to 50 years in prison on five felony counts of bilking investors out of $1.2 billion, turned over 27 luxury cars and boats to the bankruptcy trustee in charge of liquidating his assets.
But the feds also seized over 300 pieces of jewelry that Rothstein’s wife, Kimberly, says belongs to her. And she wants it all back.
Kimberly Rothstein’s attorneys filed papers in the U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale saying that the government should not be able to seize assets that were gifts from her husband prior to his criminal acts, and are solely her property.
Kimberly Rothstein, who was married to her husband just two years ago, currently faces a lawsuit brought by the Rothstein law firm bankruptcy trustee to recover $1.1 million in assets that he says she wrongly received.
According to that suit, Kimberly Rothstein used the law firm’s American Express card to purchase more than $880,000 worth of jewelry, spa services, plastic surgery treatments, shoes, clothing, handbags, hotel rooms, meals and other personal expenses. She was also reimbursed by the firm for charitable contributions as well as contributions to several political campaigns in 2008.
In addition to the return of her jewelry, she is also seeking dismissal of the bankruptcy trustee lawsuit.
Greg Gilbert
Keith Maynard
