Article in the Herald by Fred Grimm about the Judge's Comments about Shapiro at his trial:
But to characterize Shapiro as a mere con man understates the extent of his mendacity.
At Shapiro’s 2011 sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton was so taken aback by Shapiro’s twisted narcissism, she wondered whether there was a “pathological component” to his bizarre insistence that he was the real victim in his $930 million Ponzi fraud, and that his duped investors should have known that the returns he was offering in his grocery arbitrage scheme were not realistic.
“I know what it’s like to be a victim of financial fraud and it’s a horrible feeling. It’s invasive, it’s — there’s anger — you know, you feel anger, depression, remorse,” Shapiro told the judge. Of course, his victimhood had been mitigated by his $2 million waterfront mansion, a $1.5 million yacht, the $4,700-a-month leased Mercedes, wild parties, gambling sprees and $400,000 floor-seat season tickets to the Miami Heat.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob T. Elberg responded angrily, “To suggest that those people were somehow in the wrong for believing the lies that he told them is offensive and it’s wrong.”
Judge Wigenton refused to lower Shapiro’s 20-year prison sentence, saying, “While you certainly have pled guilty, it appears to be this desire to, I don’t know, perhaps blame others, soil others, the reputation of others....”
The judge’s observation was not so different from the findings of the NCAA’s internal investigation. Shapiro’s own attorney, the report said, had admitted to the NCAA investigators that her client “was looking for revenge against the U. Miami players and coaches who he believed had turned their backs on him when he got in trouble with the federal authorities.”
Yet the NCAA clings to the convenient fantasy that their convicted felon of a witness, like Lloyd Lake before him, remains someone worthy of belief. After all, the association’s sanctions case against UM hangs on his meager credibility.
The NCAA infractions committee might want to consider Judge Wigenton’s courtroom remarks at Shapiro’s sentencing hearing in 2011. They seem almost prescient in 2013.
“It just is amazing that so many individuals were duped by you. It’s really amazing,” the judge said. “And I can only conclude that somehow you had an uncanny ability to convince, sway, persuade people to do things that didn’t even make sense….”
Read more here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/...imm-in-um-case-ncaa-should.html#storylink=cpy
Wow... This is the person that the NCAA is using their case as foundation of allegations vs Miami. Unreal. Un-freaking Real.
JC
