Английская Википедия:Benjamin Brafman
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox person Benjamin Brafman (born July 21, 1948)[1] is an American criminal defense attorney and founder of the Manhattan-based law firm Brafman & Associates.[2] Brafman is known for representing many high-profile defendants, including celebrities, accused Mafia members, and political figures.
Early life and education
Brafman grew up in Brooklyn and Belle Harbor, Queens, a son of Holocaust survivors. Brafman's family fled from Europe to Cuba on their way to the United States just before World War II.[3] He went to a Yeshiva High School and took night classes at Brooklyn College, majoring in anthropology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[2][3]
Brafman received his juris doctor with distinction from Ohio Northern University College of Law.[4][2] He also earned an LL.M. from New York University School of Law.[5] In May 2014, Brafman was awarded an honorary degree by Ohio Northern University College of Law.[6]
Career
After graduating from law school, admitted to the New York State Bar in 1975, Brafman worked for a criminal defense firm for two years, then became an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. In 1980, Brafman started his own law firm in Manhattan.[2]
Notable cases
Brafman slowly established his reputation as a celebrity lawyer through a series of high-profile cases.
Sean "P. Diddy" Combs
Brafman defended Sean "P. Diddy" Combs during his 1999 trial on illegal weapons and bribery charges. Combs, who referred to Brafman as "Uncle Benny"[3] was acquitted of the criminal charges, which stemmed from a nightclub brawl while he was accompanied by then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez and his usual entourage. One hundred prosecution witnesses and others testified to Combs's culpability, but still a not-guilty verdict was decreed on all charges, raising Brafman's profile.[1][7][8][9][10]
In November 2023, Brafman would again represent Combs as he was facing a $30 million sexual assault lawsuit from his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. He would publicly denounce Ventura's accusations against Combs, including in an exclusive interview with People.[11] The lawsuit would end the day after it was filed when both parties agreed to an undisclosed settlement.[12]
Plaxico Burress shooting
Шаблон:Further On November 30, 2008, Brafman was hired to represent NFL star Plaxico Burress who, on August 3, 2009, was indicted on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of reckless endangerment.[13][14] Burress pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and was sentenced to two years in prison.[15]
Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Шаблон:Main In 2011, Brafman represented French politician, economist and former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn in a sexual assault case involving a member of the housekeeping staff of an upscale New York City hotel.[3] Brafman and Strauss-Kahn's other lawyer, William W. Taylor, III, of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP,[16] gained first a recommendation that charges be dropped from New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance, and then charges dropped by New York State Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus.[17] Brafman discussed his defense of Strauss-Kahn on Charlie Rose in February, 2012.[18]
Martin Wolmark
Шаблон:Main In 2014 and 2015, Brafman represented Martin Wolmark of the Epstein-Wolmark gang, an outfit that had plotted the kidnap and torture of Jewish husbands to coerce them into granting their wives gets (religious divorces).[19][20] Wolmark pled guilty to the charges, and was sentenced to three years in prison.[21][22]
Martin Shkreli
Шаблон:Further In early 2016, Martin Shkreli retained Brafman to defend him.[23][24] In a 2017 jury trial, Shkreli was found guilty on two counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.[25] He was sentenced to seven years in prison.[26]
Harvey Weinstein
Шаблон:Main Former film producer Harvey Weinstein hired Brafman in 2017, after numerous sexual abuse allegations against him from prominent members of Hollywood resulted in charges and a criminal trial.[27] Brafman represented Weinstein at his arraignment on May 25, 2018 in Manhattan Criminal Court on charges of first-degree rape and third-degree rape in one case, and first-degree criminal sex act in another case. Brafman said in an interview: "Mr. Weinstein did not invent the casting couch in Hollywood. Bad behavior is not on trial in this case."[28] In January 2019, Brafman and Weinstein issued a joint statement officially parting ways.[29] Weinstein would subsequently get convicted on several charges, and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
Other notable clients included:
- Jacob Arabo, jeweler
- Philip Banks III, New York City Deputy Mayor[30]
- Jay S. Cohen, online gambling figure [31][3]
- Dinesh D'Souza, political pundit[32]
- Peter Gatien, nightclub owner[4]
- Vincent "Chin" Gigante, American Mafia boss[33]
- Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, American Mafia underboss[3]
- Michael Jackson, musician[34]
- Carl Kruger, New York politician[35]
- Charles Kushner, real estate developer[36]
- James Patino, who was cleared of all charges in the death of Yusef Hawkins[37]
- Sanford Rubenstein, high-profile attorney[38]
- Marvell Scott, sportscaster[39]
- Menachem Youlus, rabbi[40]
Personal life
Brafman is a practicing Orthodox Jew.[41]
His wife, Lynda, is a librarian. The Brafmans lived in a "cramped Forest Hills apartment" early in their marriage and, by 1998, lived in an "enormous Long Island brick mansion."[4] Brafman has lived in the Five Towns area of Long Island since 1981.[2] The couple have two children, Jennifer and David, and a number of grandchildren.[2]
Brafman's older brother, Aaron, was an Orthodox rabbi in Far Rockaway, Queens.[4][42]
Brafman is a self-described "short Jewish guy," standing five feet, six inches tall.[4]
References
- ↑ 1,0 1,1 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 2,0 2,1 2,2 2,3 2,4 2,5 Amanda Mayo, Local High-Profile Defense Attorney Ben Brafman: "If you do Great Work, People will Start to Take Notice.", South Shore Standard (June 8, 2012).
- ↑ 3,0 3,1 3,2 3,3 3,4 3,5 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 4,0 4,1 4,2 4,3 4,4 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Horowitz, Craig, "The Defense Rests -- Permanently", New York magazine, n.d. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
- ↑ Italiano, Laura, "Legal: Puffy's Pugilist", New York magazine, n.d. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
- ↑ Ralph Gardner Jr., Puff Daddy's Fate Now Rests With a Spun and Rhymed Jury (March 19, 2001). New York Observer
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ May 25,2011 letter from C. Vance to DS-K lawyers, Courthouse News. Retrieved 2011-08-23.
- ↑ Bray, Chad, Michael Rothfeld and Tamer El-Ghobashy, Judge Dismisses Charges Against Strauss-Kahn, Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2011 3:13 P.M. EDT. Retrieved 2011-08-23.
- ↑ Interview with Benjamin Brafman Шаблон:Webarchive, PBS, February 8, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-10.
- ↑ Bever, Lindsey (May 23, 2014) "Rabbis Charged with Kidnapping Orthodox Jewish Men and Forcing Them to Grant Divorces", Washington Post
- ↑ {May 22, 2014) "Four Orthodox Jewish Rabbis, One Of Their Sons Indicted In Divorce-Compelling Kidnap Conspiracy", United States Department of Justice
- ↑ (January 14, 2015) "Orthodox Rabbi Martin Wolmark Pleads Guilty in Get Divorce Extortion Scheme", Forward
- ↑ (December 14, 2015) "Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Sentenced To More Than Three Years In Prison For Role In Conspiracy To Violently Extort Divorce Consent From Reluctant Husband",United States Department of Justice
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ McKinley Jr., James C. (November 9, 2017) "For Harvey Weinstein, a New York Lawyer With a List of Celebrity Clients", The New York Times
- ↑ Mueller, Benjamin and Alan Feuer "Arrested on Rape Charges, Weinstein Posts $1 Million Bail" The New York Times May 25, 2018
- ↑ Maddaus, Gene (January 17, 2019) "Ben Brafman Drops Out of Harvey Weinstein Rape Case", Variety. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ SI Scorecard, Sports Illustrated (March 16, 1998),
- ↑ Benjamin Weiser, D'Souza Case Is Political, Lawyer Says, The New York Times (April 22, 2014).
- ↑ Cornell Smith, Kati (April 11, 2002) "Crazy, But Not Slow – New Lawyer Says 'Chin' Won't Let 'Insanity' Delay his Trial", New York Post. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Crooked Carl Kruger wallowed in Albany's corrupt pork-barrel slush-fund ways, editorial, New York Daily News, March 13, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
- ↑ Horowitz, Craig, Jim McGreevey and His Main Man, New York magazine, May 21, 2005. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
- ↑ Eric Pace, Two More Trials Open in Slaying In Bensonhurst (November 20, 1990). The New York Times.
- ↑ Marc Santora & James C. McKinley, Sanford Rubenstein Will Not Face Rape Charges, The New York Times (January 5, 2015).
- ↑ Melissa Grace, Ex-sportscaster Marvell Scott admits 'inappropriate touching' in rape case involving 14-year-old (August 16, 2011), New York Daily News.
- ↑ Benjamin Weiser, Torah Fraud Earns Rabbi Prison Term, The New York Times (October 11, 2012)
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
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