Criminal & White Collar Defense

The JORDEN BURT criminal defense group consists of attorneys with a history of success in the most complex areas of criminal law. The attorneys have represented individuals and entities in matters including public corruption, mail and wire fraud, campaign financing, bank fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and healthcare and food and drug matters. In addition, the members of the team have substantial experience in grand jury proceedings, both as former Assistant U.S. Attorneys, a high ranking supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney, and as counsel to targets of the grand jury. The team has vast experience in federal court proceedings (motion practice, trial, post-trial proceedings and appellate), state criminal matters, and regulatory subpoenas and investigations.

Selected Trial Matters

• State of Florida v. Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla , No. M01-63160 (Miami-Dade County). Obtained defense verdict after trial of Florida State Senator charged with 240 counts of criminal campaign law violations.

• United States v. Chris Berry , 150 F.R.D. 696 (S.D. Fla.). Ordering severance for trial of CenTrust bank officer who handled bank's controversial "junk bond" portfolio under Chairman David Paul; Berry was acquitted on all 19 fraud and perjury counts after jury trial.
  

• United States v. Vitas Vebeliunas. A major mortgage and banking fraud indictment handed down in the Southern District of Florida involving a major real estate development on Marco Island and alleged fraudulent loan practices through Biscayne Federal Bank. The grand jury indictment was dismissed, upon motion, for prosecutorial misconduct.

• United States v. Thomas Trujillo. Trujillo was one of the original six police officers to be indicted subsequent to the 1988 beating death of drug dealer, Leonardo Mercado. A two month trial resulted in the acquittal of Trujillo and all others charged.

• United States v. Richard Reizen. Richard Reizen was the former executive vice president in charge of the Housing Division of the General Development Corporation. Reizen was indicted with three former executives of General Development Corporation in a massive federal indictment charging over 70 counts of mail fraud and other related charges. After a nine-month jury trial Reizen was acquitted of 39 out of 40 counts. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal reversed and acquitted all defendants in a precedent setting opinion regarding the use of the mail fraud statute.

• People of The State of New York v. Orlando Castro. Filed by the New York office of Robert Morgenthau, the charges involved international issues of jurisdiction in an alleged bank fraud regarding the operation of Castro's Banco Progreso in both Caracas and Puerto Rico.

• United States v. Cesar Odio. Involved retired city manager of Miami, Cesar Odio, in United States District Court in Miami. Odio was charged along with political consultant Jorge De Cardenas in a major political corruption case.

• United States v. Arturo Beguiristain and Jorge Castello. Two city of Miami police officers charged in federal court with civil rights violations and obstruction of justice.

Sample Cases In Prior Government Practice

• United States v. Marino-Garcia , 679 F.2d 1373 (11^th Cir.). Challenge to extension of United States jurisdiction over stateless vessels on the high seas); United States v. Romero-Galue, 757 F.2d 1147 (11^th Cir. 1985). Challenge to United States jurisdiction over foreign vessels on the high seas).

• United States v. Noriega , No. 88-79-CR-WMH. This case involved narcotics charges against Panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega. Legal issues at the trial level included Sixth Amendment right to counsel, and international jurisdictional issues concerning the prosecution of an alleged foreign head of state.

• United States v. Cortez , 757 F.2d 1204 (11^th Cir.). This case was referred to as the "Cuban Connection" case because it involved the importation of narcotics into the United States by way of Cuba. It charged Cuban government officials, and others, with narcotics offenses and "Travel Act" violations.

• United States v. Henry Gherman. Involved prosecution against money manager who absconded to Taiwan with clients' funds, and was successfully extradited through Japan and convicted in the Southern District of Florida.

• United States v. Falcone , 934 F.2d 1528 (11th Cir.). Bank fraud prosecution in the Southern District of Florida.

• United States v. Roggio , 863 F.2d 41 (11th Cir.). Scheme to defraud approximately $70 million from major United States financial institutions. The defendant's unwitting partner was J. Lynn Helms, Former Head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).