More Trial Lawyers on Trial
April 24, 2008
Michigan trial lawyer Geoffrey Fieger gets his day in court today on charges he “illegally recruited 64 employees, vendors, friends and relatives to contribute $127,000 to John Edwards’ 2004 presidential campaign and reimbursed them from law firm coffers.”
Federal prosecutors have charged Fieger and his law partner with “conspiracy, making illegal campaign contributions” and causing Edwards to file false FEC reports. Fieger also faces additional charges of “obstruction of justice for allegedly trying to conceal an incriminating memo from a federal grand jury, trying to shift blame for the scheme to his deceased law partner and trying to influence the testimony of two grand jury witnesses.”
Fieger could face up to 15 years in prison and a $500,000 for the two sets of charges. Will Fieger join fellow trial lawyers Bill Lerach, Melvyn Weiss and Dickie Scruggs in trading pinstripe suits for prison jumpsuits?