So I see this Daily Business Review story about the civil complaint filed by federal prosecutors seeking forfeiture of $17.8 million in property allegedly acquired by Scott Rothstein with Ponzi scheme money.
The story by Jordana Mishory reports that the judge assigned to the case is U.S. District Judge William Zloch.
Someone reminds me via a phone tip that Rothstein once told Sun-Sentinel columnist Michael Mayo that among his three best friends was Chuck Zloch, of Mass Mutual insurance (Ted Morse, of course, was another).
Kicker: William and Chuck Zloch are brothers, which means that the judge in the forfeiture case is the brother of one of Scott Rothstein's
best friends (or so said Rothstein). Here's a little history on the Zloch brothers from a 1996 Miami Herald piece:------------------------
In 1967, the Flying L's played Melbourne at Lockhart Stadium in the state championship football game. Fort Lauderdale lost, 31-12, in front of 12,000 or more people. Playing quarterback for the Flying L's was Chuck Zloch.
"That has to be one of my finest high school memories," Zloch, 46, said. "That, and beating Miami High for the first time in a long time. That was one of the oldest rivalries. It
went back to the 30s."
Zloch graduated from Fort Lauderdale in 1967. His brother, Jim, finished in 1970. He, too, was a standout athlete. Jim Zloch, 42, played football and basketball and ran track. Chuck Zloch played football, basketball and baseball. Chuck was an All-Broward football player and honorable mention All-State selection.
Their older brother, Bill, played football for St. Thomas Aquinas. All three went on to play football for Notre Dame University.
Today, each resides in Broward County. Chuck Zloch is an insurance agent with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance. Jim Zloch is an attorney and announces Fort Lauderdale's football games. William "Bill" Zloch is a federal judge.
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One attorney who knows him says that Zloch is as hard-nosed in court as he was on the football field. "He's famous for not recusing himself from a case unless he thinks there's a very good reason," said the lawyer.
Question: Should Judge Zloch recuse himself from the case because of his brother's supposed friendship with Rothstein?
-- Also, the feds got their first plea deal in the corruption case. Luke Facarazzo, who was involved in a $50,000 bribery scheme in the City of Miramar with federal fugitive Skip Aniekwu of Gulf Building Corp., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit.
Cheers and many more returns.
