Paul Bergrin

Paul Bergrin (born December 8, 1956) is a former lawyer who practiced in Newark, New Jersey, known for defending a range of famous and notorious clients.^[2] His license to practice law was suspended by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 2009, and he was sentenced to life in federal prison for multiple charges in 2013.

Career history

Bergrin was a major in the U.S. Army, serving in the 75th Ranger Regiment. After his service, Bergrin held posts as a prosecutor in Essex County, New Jersey and, starting in 1987, for the U.S. Government as an assistant U.S. Attorney, where he served under both Samuel Alito and Michael Chertoff.^[3]

After his stints as State and Federal prosecutor, Bergrin became a defense lawyer. From 1990 to 2005, he was a partner at Pope, Bergrin & Verdesco. Bergrin's clients included gang leaders, drug dealers, and celebrities, including drug kingpin Hakeem "E.T Hak" Curry, Angelo "The Horn" Prisco, Queen Latifah, Naughty by Nature and Lil' Kim. He also represented Heather "Hedy" DiCarlo - the former Mrs. New Jersey accused of bouncing more than $70,000 in checks. He defended Javal Davis (charged along with Lynndie England), an Army reservist from Roselle, NJ who in 2005 admitted abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, as well as PFC Corey R. Clagett, who was convicted in the Iron Triangle Murders.

New York magazine called Bergrin "The Baddest Lawyer in the History of Jersey - And that's saying something".^[2]

Criminal indictments

In May 2009, Bergin pleaded guilty to running a prostitution ring in N.Y. called N.Y. Confidential. He was sentenced to time served (amounting to several hours awaiting processing), 3 years probation, and forfeiture of $50,000. Later that same month, he was arrested for conspiring to murder an informant in March 2004 to prevent his testimony against one of Bergrin's clients.^[3] From the time of this arrest until November 2009, Bergrin was held in solitary confinement by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. A federal judge ordered his release into the general population (the main body of inmates).

In early 2011, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated racketeering charges against Bergrin.

On June 6, 2011, Bergrin was charged with a multitude of federal criminal charges: a federal grand jury returned a 138-page, second superseding indictment against Bergrin, previously accused of heading a crime syndicate involved in bribery, mortgage fraud and murder of a witness, now adding racketeering charges.

Bergrin's first trial in 2011, on a portion of the charges, ended in a hung jury. The trial judge was William J. Martini, U.S.D.J. Bergrin was represented by Larry Lustberg, Esq. of Gibbons P.C.. Robert A. Mintz, Esq. of the Newark firm McCarter and English was appointed receiver for Bergrin's law practice.

On March 18, 2013, a jury convicted attorney Bergrin of all 23 counts on which he was tried, including conspiracy to murder a witness and other racketeering, cocaine and prostitution offenses. The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Paul J. Fishman, announced the verdict. "Bergrin's conduct was a stunning violation of his role as an officer of the court and a betrayal of his roots as a member of law enforcement", said U.S. Attorney Fishman. "Today, the jury returned the verdict compelled by the evidence and imposed the justice he deserved. We take no joy from his tragic fall, but I am extremely proud of the work done by those in my office and agents from the FBI, IRS and DEA that led to this just result."^[4]

Bergrin received a life sentence on Sept. 23, 2013.^[5] On December 18, 2014, his convictions & sentences were upheld by a 3-judge federal appeals panel.^[6]

References