Fired BSO Lt. Connected To Rothstein Ponzi Case Pleads Guilty
FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – A fired Broward Sheriff's Office Lieutenant was in court Thursday changing his plea in connection to criminal charges relating to convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.
David Benjamin now admits that he wrongly arrested a woman and went before a federal judge on Tuesday to change his plea to guilty.
Benjamin was fired along with Detective Jeff Poole in April after prosecutors charged them in connection with the Rothstein scandal.
Prosecutors said Rothstein asked Benjamin to arrest the estranged wife of a friend of Rothstein who was going through a nasty child custody case.
Poole changed his plea to guilty on May 8th. During his court appearance, he told the judge "When I was on the scene, I had contact with Lieutenant Benjamin and he told me make sure she goes to jail."
Poole's attorney, Micheal Gottlieb, has denied his client had any connection to Rothstein.
"My client never spoke to Rothstein, didn't know him. With a broad brush, could you paint a conspiracy," said Gottlieb. "Perhaps, but he's not part of that. He followed the orders of a supervising officer."
Poole will be sentenced on July 17th.
Benjamin faces up to five years in federal prison when he's sentenced.
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