The Law Offices of Gordon Mehler, PLLC
Representative Cases
Our firm represents individuals and businesses in three primary areas: white-collar criminal defense, civil litigation and administrative/regulatory matters. Our white-collar defense practice includes representation in grand jury proceedings, trials and appeals, mostly in federal court. Our civil litigation practice includes a variety of disputes involving civil rights, contracts, employment, property, taxation and torts (especially civil fraud). Our regulatory investigations practice includes matters pending before various government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the New York State Attorney General's Office.
Representative cases follow, which are subdivided for easier access:
Accounting Irregularities
- Representation of executive at Symbol Technologies in federal prosecution stemming from investigation into company accounting irregularities.
- Representation of South Carolina-based principal accounting officer at public company in fraud investigation involving company's former chief executive officer (CEO).
Antitrust/Bid Rigging Allegations
- Representation of co-founder of two companies indicted in Maryland by U.S. Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) Antitrust Division on charges of conspiracy to engage in bid rigging and theft of trade secrets, involving Department of Defense aviation fuel contracts in Croatia, Bulgaria and Kuwait.
- Representation of Marsh & McLennan employee indicted by New York State Attorney General on charges of bid rigging insurance placements.
Asset Forfeiture
- Representation in state court litigation of Georgia restaurant owner who unknowingly received investment monies embezzled from German bank.
- Representation of former CEO seeking recovery of severance monies seized by federal government from company's largest investor following investor's indictment.
- Representation of retiree in recovering money seized as part of federal sports-betting prosecution.
Civil Rights/False Arrest/Wrongful Conviction
- Pro bono co-representation in Palladium Murder Case, which received national attention, to undo wrongful convictions of two defendants who were freed after more than 13 years in prison for murder of nightclub bouncer committed by others.
- Representation of USDOJ in arbitration appeal stemming from U.S. Department of Agriculture loan discrimination complaint by African-American farmer in Mississippi.
- Representation of construction company president in federal civil rights action for false arrest.
- Pro bono representation of young woman assaulted by police and cursed with racial epithets during arrest growing out of monetary dispute; criminal charges dismissed.
- Representation, largely pro bono, of young woman falsely arrested for shoplifting at Century 21.
Contract Disputes/Commercial Litigation
- Representation of a commercial interior renovation/construction firm in state court litigation over misappropriation of business assets.
- Co-representation of Global Crossing executive in federal commercial litigation involving various bank loans.
- Representation of Source Capital in federal lawsuit to recover funds from broker.
- Representation of Radian subsidiary in defending against state court lawsuit by "head hunter" seeking fee for client hired by company.
- Representation at commercial arbitration of one partner against second partner relating to split of limited liability company distributions.
- Representation of printing business in state court lawsuit arising out of purchase of defective equipment.
- Representation of Indian businesswoman in Uniform Commercial Code dispute with American bank.
- Representation of financial services employee in state court lawsuit to recover money she loaned to her ex-boyfriend.
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Crime Victim Litigation/Civil Fraud
- Representation of plaintiffs in civil securities fraud action, funded by Penn Mutual Life Insurance, to hold accountable brokers and Ponzi scheme operators who caused millions of dollars in losses to customers of company's Pennsylvania-based subsidiary broker-dealer.
- Representation of an internet start-up company in state court lawsuit that resulted in full recovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars embezzled by company accountant.
- Representation of family of deceased extortion victim in recovering nearby one million dollars from convicted mobster.
- Representation of individual subjected to extortionate demands by ex-wife's family.
- Representation of diamond dealer harmed by appraisals from diamond graders accused of taking bribes to falsify grading of precious stones.
- Representation of businessman who accused partner of embezzlement and self-dealing.
Embezzlement Allegations
- Representation of individual charged, in Oregon federal prosecution, with embezzling more than five million dollars from investment bank and investing it offshore.
- Representation of chief financial officer who wrote unauthorized checks to himself worth close to one million dollars.
- Representation of cleric's colleague in defense of cleric charged with embezzling money from his church.
- Representation of Missouri coal industry expert in state investigation of unlawful appropriation of business information.
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Employment and Labor Matters
- Representation of international division chief at Xerox in federal civil litigation over employee benefits.
- Representation of Samsung manager fired after controversial performance review.
- Co-representation of trader fired by large bank days before he was set to receive bonus of more than one million dollars.
- Representation of union officer under investigation for potential illegalities arising out of strike-related activities.
- Representation of head of construction union local concerning disputed hiring practices.
- Representation of immunized witness in state labor racketeering investigation of payoffs to union shop stewards.
- Co-representation of union in federal lawsuit to recover monies appropriated by state government.
Government Contracts
- Representation of senior executive at non-profit foster care agency under state criminal investigation for falsifying records to maintain city contracts.
- Representation of government contractor in Davis-Bacon, prevailing-wage investigation.
- Pro bono service on board of directors of Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House, a non-profit that relies heavily on government contracts.
Health Care Matters
- Representation of a German biochemist in federal criminal investigation of medical testing procedures at large diagnostics laboratory.
- Representation of doctor in two federal investigations of his billing practices.
- Co-representation of health benefits executive charged with fraud in federal court.
- Pro bono service on board of directors of Health Jam, a non-profit organization concerned with children's health issues.
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Insurance Matters
- Representation of reinsurance industry executive in federal prosecution alleging misrepresentations and misappropriation of premiums.
- Representation of insurance brokerage employee in state investigation of fraud against upstate New York county.
Mail and Wire Fraud Allegations
- Representation of senior newspaper executive in federal criminal investigation of inflated circulation figures.
- Representation of senior officer at attorney referral service in federal criminal investigation of fraud in purchase of business.
- Representation of retail brokerage manager in federal "squawk box" investigation involving unauthorized use of confidential, proprietary investment information.
Miscellaneous Civil Litigation
- Representation of individual in estate litigation who sued deceased mother's guardian for assorted misconduct.
- Representation of Michigan radio program director in New York State Attorney General music industry "payola" investigation.
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Miscellaneous Criminal Investigation
- Representation of New York City official in federal investigation of criminally negligent homicide involving crash of Staten Island Ferry.
- Representation of federal Witness Protection Program participant whose father was murdered by the Mafia.
- Representation of Pakistani immigrant in federal inquiry growing out of unwitting tie to terrorism suspect.
Miscellaneous Criminal Litigation
- Representation of individual in federal gambling (sports betting) prosecution.
- Representation of Guyanese immigrant in federal prosecution for allegedly agreeing to pay undercover police officer to plot violence against estranged wife.
- Representation of cooperating defendant in federal Chinese gang case in sentencing negotiation and litigation, where defendant still had not been sentenced nearly eight years after guilty plea.
- Representation of advertising agency information technology manager who inadvertently left gun in luggage while flying out of LaGuardia Airport.
- Representation of individual charged in state prosecution targeting credit card fraud involving consumer electronics.
- Representation of construction company CEO accused of vandalizing neighbor's car.
- Representation of sculptor arrested in possession of box cutter he used in his artwork.
- Representation of Israeli merchant mariner in persuading state prosecutor to dismiss old, outstanding warrant, arising out of disputed facts, that prevented renewal of his visa.
- Representation of various individuals in violation of probation (or violation of supervised release) proceedings, including former Goldman Sachs investment banker on supervised release stemming from money laundering conviction.
Money Laundering Allegations
- Representation as pool counsel of department managers connected to U.S. Department of Justice investigation of private bank in Florida, alleging Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering compliance violations.
- Co-representation of Panamanian jewelry company charged with money laundering in federal prosecution.
- Representation of tobacco industry wholesaler who received formal immunity in federal fraud and money laundering investigation.
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Property Matters
- Representation of family member in state litigation over daughter's unlawful appropriation of elderly parents' property.
- Representation of JP Morgan Chase managing director in defeating frivolous lawsuit by disgruntled tenant over sublet of luxury apartment.
- Representation of Illinois lawyer in eviction proceeding involving daughter's ex-boyfriend.
- Representation of French technology company in negotiation of two commercial leases.
- Pro bono representation of individual in recovering rent overcharges by landlord.
- Pro bono representation of tenant who feared apartment ceiling would collapse due to construction work nearby.
- Pro bono representation of coop owner who had been unsuccessful in holding management company responsible for loss of ownership documents.
Public Integrity
- Co-representation of lobbyist in North Carolina state and federal criminal investigations growing out of state lottery legislation.
- Representation of senior political operative in state campaign finance investigation of Kings County (New York) Democratic Party boss.
- Representation of lawyer prosecuted for openly admitting to prosecutor in another case that he destroyed gun sent to him by client.
- Representation of lawyer under criminal investigation for allegedly aiding and abetting submission of misleading information to federal regulators.
- Representation of manager who deleted supervisor's e-mails at California-based Fortune 500 company while company was under federal investigation.
- Representation of class action law firm in federal criminal investigation of payments by lawyers to witnesses to procure potential lawsuits.
- Representation of individual in divorce proceeding who charged that bribes were paid to obtain corrupt result.
- Representation of immunized witness in state judicial corruption investigation.
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Securities Matters
- Representation of former Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce executive in connection with mutual fund "market timing" and "late trading" investigations conducted by SEC and New York State Attorney General; related indictment later dismissed.
- Representation of American Health Care Providers CEO in federal prosecution and related SEC action charging market manipulation.
- Representation as pool counsel of New York Stock Exchange specialist firm employees in federal investigation and prosecution of "trading ahead" and "interpositioning;" indictments later dismissed.
- Representation of Symbol Technologies middle manager in SEC enforcement action related to inflated sales figures.
- Representation of in-house lawyer at financial services company in federal criminal and regulatory investigation of fraud by brokers and hedge funds in three states.
- Representation of author who alleged insider trading by prominent investment advisor.
- Co-representation of president of grocery business in SEC enforcement action.
- Representation of ex-girlfriend in SEC insider trading investigation of officers and affiliates of Greek shipping company.
- Representation of Arizona broker in securities arbitration.
- Representation of individual who received stock tip in SEC insider trading investigation of electronics firm.
Tax Liability
- Representation of firm internationally prominent in art world on charges related to non-payment of state sales tax on artworks.
- Representation of energy industry executive in federal criminal tax evasion prosecution involving more than four million dollars.
- Representation of company accused of profiting from allegedly illegal tax shelters promoted by former KPMG tax partner.
- Representation of window washing company executive in criminal and civil state income tax investigations.
- Representation of bank manager in settlement of several million dollars of outstanding federal and state income tax liabilities.
- Representation of fast food franchisee in federal criminal tax evasion investigation.
- Representation of two individuals connected to defunct Connecticut hedge fund in federal civil tax matter related to demise of fund.
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