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| November 05, 2009 |
By: Terry Sheridan |
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s the federal investigation widens into Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein’s financial dealings, investigators are scrutinizing his property transactions, including the transfer of a Weston home for $100 to Debra Villegas, chief operating officer in Rothstein’s firm, according to a source familiar with the probe.
Four months before Rothstein’s lavish world imploded amid allegations of financial wrongdoing, a limited liability company linked to him transferred a home at 380 Carrington Drive to Villegas, who formerly served as chief financial officer of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler in Fort Lauderdale. Rothstein, as manager of the limited liability company WAWW4, paid $475,000 in April 2008 for the 2,612-square-foot home. RRA and the LLC shared the same address.
Villegas’ ex-husband, Tony Villegas, was arrested in March 2008 in the murder of Melissa Britt Lewis, an employment law attorney at Rothstein’s firm. The widely reported motive was alleged revenge for Lewis’ friendship with Villegas.
Villegas’ first attorney, Michael Walsh, had suggested Tony Villegas was framed for the murder, according to news reports at the time.
Tony Villegas’ new attorney, Bruce Fleisher of Gerson & Schwartz in Miami, did not return a phone call.
A hearing in the case is scheduled Dec. 10 before Broward Circuit Judge Marc Gold in Fort Lauderdale.
Rothstein is accused by investors of looting $400 million or more in investment funds tied to a structured settlement business started by Rothstein.
Last April, the LLC’s manager changed from Rothstein to another LLC, Bahia Property Management of Dover, Del. The registered agent was switched from Blandin Wright at RRA to Corpdirect Agents of Tallahassee, and the address of WAWW4 was changed from the law firm’s address to Corpdirect’ address, according to state corporate records.
Three months later, WAWW4 transferred the Weston property to Villegas for $100 — the minimum amount required for property transfers.
Neither Rothstein nor Villegas, who is now the firm’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, returned calls for comment by deadline. A receptionist said Villegas would be unavailable for the rest of the week. A phone number listed for Villegas’ Weston home was disconnected Thursday.
The firm’s chief executive, Stuart Rosenfeldt, said in an e-mail that he was unaware of the Villegas deal and had little to no knowledge of Rothstein’s financial dealings.
Harold Bofshever, a RRA attorney, prepared the deed in the sale. “I can’t talk to you,” he told the Daily Business Review Wednesday, and hung up.
Rothstein was involved in six other property transfers under LLCs partially named WAWW.
Some of the companies are not listed in state corporate records. Others indicate address and manager changes to Bahia Property Management similar to the Villegas deal.
Most of the transfers indicate that Bofshever handled the deeds or was the agent for some of the companies involved in the transactions.
In December 2007, Marina Village Townhomes LLC at 235 Garden Court in Lauderdale-by-the Sea transferred a townhouse at 227 Garden Court for $715,000 to WAWW LLC, whose address at 2308 Castilla Isle is a Fort Lauderdale home where Rothstein once lived.
The deal also included a temporary dock easement.
Bofshever was the registered agent for Marina Village Townhomes, whose managing me mbers are Diana Hiott and David Hiott, according to state corporate records. Their address is listed as 235 Garden Court.
Less than two years later, WAWW transferred the property to 235 GC LLC, which is not listed in state records. The price was $100, the minimum amount required for a property transfer.
According to the deed, 235 GC is a Delaware company whose address is the RRA law firm.
In November 2008, Glenn Curran III and his wife, Sandra Curran, sold a 2,700-square-foot home at 2133 Imperial Point Drive in Fort Lauderdale to WAWW19 LLC.
Similar to the Villegas deal, the limited liability company added Bahia Property Management of Delaware as a manager. WAWW19’s registered agent, RRA general counsel David Boden, also is listed as the company’s manager, according to state records.
In August, WAWW19 transferred the property to 2133 IP LLC, a Delaware company whose address is the RRA law firm.
The quit-claim deed transfer was for the minimum $100.
In September 2008, CGW Patriot Warehouses LLC of Delaware transferred warehouses along State Road 84 for $675,000 to WAWW10, whose address is the RRA law firm, according to the deed.
In August 2009, WAWW10 transferred what appears to be the same property at 708 Spangler Boulevard Bay 1 in Hollywood to 708 Spangler LLC for $100 in a quit-claim deed.
The new owner’s address also is listed as the RRA law firm, according to the deed.
Terry Sheridan can be reached at (954) 468-2614.
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