Patterico's Pontifications

6/23/2006

Yagman Indicted

Filed under: Crime,General,Scum — Patterico @ 1:55 pm



I’m not a big fan of Stephen Yagman. (A simple search of my site for the term “Yagman” will give you posts that explain why.) So you’ll excuse my jubilation as I report the news that Yagman has been indicted for tax evasion — as well as bankruptcy fraud and 17 counts of money laundering.

I wonder which judge is going to handle his case. Will it be the one he has called a fucking fat ugly asshole and fascist judge with a weird-shaped head that looked like a Martian? The one he said suffered from mental disorders and compared to Torquemada? Or perhaps the one he called “anti-Semitic” and “drunk on the bench”? (That’s the one I worked for.)

I don’t know yet. But I do know this: this is gonna be fun to follow.

UPDATE: Here is a link to the U.S. Attorney’s press release.

38 Responses to “Yagman Indicted”

  1. You “worked for” a judge? As a clerk??

    nosh (d8da01)

  2. You can like Yagman or hate him. He has been remarkably successful bringing actions against police agencies. From what I’ve heard, he also is a brutal taskmaster employing less experienced lawyers.

    But is he being singled out because he sues the police? Prosecutorially? C’mon. In media attention and Patterico’s glee? Obviously.

    nosh (d8da01)

  3. He’s also an ethically challenged scumbag.

    My life is pretty much an open book at this point, and you can click on the links to see what I’m talking about.

    Patterico (50c3cd)

  4. I may be repeating this post since I think at least one version of it is circulating in the electronic ether somewhere. But I will repeat, where is Federal District Judge Andy Hauk when we need him? Hauk was a judge of firm, if extreme, convictions who didn’t suffer fools, or anyone else, gladly once he got the bit in his teeth and a notion in his mind. He was also prone to the use of colorful phrases; I was in his courtroom when he referred to the Saudis as “just a bunch of Opeckers”. A courtroom pas de deux between Hauk and Yagman would be something to see–good theater at the very least even though it would most probably not be great lawyering or judging.

    I can’t see this as selective prosecution; I mean 17 counts of money laundering is a lot–and when you then add bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion, some prosecutor somewhere is going to have to do something about it. Now the fact that there are so many counts could be “piling on”, and the piling on might come from the prosecutor’s sincere conviction that Mr. Yagman is a flaming jerk or worse. (Substitute a less family friendly euphemism for what Yagman is.) But even so, I suspect that, when you start with so much, there will be at least a nugget of good reason to have brought the action left at the end of the day.

    I do think there are instances of police or prosecutorial abuse which need to be addressed; but I’m not certain that Yagman’s full bore style of attack without discriminating wheat from chaff was that good a thing for Los Angeles and its police and sheriff’s departments.

    Mike Myers (28fa0a)

  5. I am not defending the foolhardy use of the anti-Semitism charge.

    But all the more reason to believe that Yagman was singled out for attention, examination, investigation, and indictment.

    Anyone remember the Enemies List?

    nosh (d8da01)

  6. If a single editor of the LAT is on the jury he will be acquitted. Has the LAT ever written such a positive absolutely gushing article about another indictee?

    nk (ca8012)

  7. fucking fat ugly asshole

    Wesson (c20d28)

  8. AHH, first Al Capone, then Leona Helmsly and now Steve Yagman. God bless the IRS.

    BTW, I noticed that the Dog Trainer article pointedly left out one of Yagman’s more infamous cases–Emil Matasareanu’s children’s civil rights action in Federal Court. You remember, Emil Matasareanu, the bank robber who , along with his partner, Larry Phillips, spent 45 minutes shooting up North Hollywood and the citizenry thereof. You remember, the North Hollywood shootout.

    Yagman sued in Federal Court on behalf of Emil’s two children alledging that the LAPD allowed the robber, who along with his partner expended 1200 rounds, to die. Matasareanu, who was wearing full body armor, wounded numerous police officers and civilians before finally surrendering. Matasareanu succumbed to the 29 gunshot wounds that were required to convince him to surrender.

    Guess mentioning this case, which was very unpopular in LA, wouldn’t make the Dog Trainer’s task of lionizing Yagman any easier.

    CalFed (915fa0)

  9. Maybe Anthony Pelicano can be his cellmate.

    Sorry, I’ll try harder to control my giddiness

    CalFed (14162d)

  10. Best news I’ve heard all week. Thanks for the link.

    Susan (84c3c9)

  11. stephen yagman has done some good work. i don’t know if this is just a political prosecution or not, but i anticipate he will be difficult to convict, good luck mr. yagman.

    assistant devil's advocate (00f5be)

  12. That is hilarious.

    Sorry , i ll try to control my mocking. Good luck mr.yagman.

    Phillipdaniel (4ae97e)

  13. Hard to prove? Try that argument in Bankruptcy court – typically bench trials before very experienced, financially sophisticated judges. My personal observations in that forum are that loud, state-court “warhorse” litigators get rendered into sausage faster than a truck load of pig entrails bound for Vernon.

    Californio (3bc3cd)

  14. Oh, Steve Yagman has done some good work? Well then, maybe he should be allowed to falsify his Bankruptcy petition and evade income taxes.

    I suspect he won’t be that hard to convict. I’ve investigated a number of bankruptcy fraud cases and they are ususally quite cut and dried. Not much jury appeal when some loud-mouth, who goes around bragging about how much he’s taken from the city, has to get up and explain to a jury why he didn’t pay any taxes on all that dough.

    CalFed (14162d)

  15. Now, I truely believe in Karma…

    JT (9fc768)

  16. Hahah, I worked for Judge Hatter when Yagman was Plaintiff’s cousel up against a group of police. Yagman was very well behaved throughout the trial. I think Yagman just liked Judge Hatter and figured he couldn’t do better. I just remember his closing was very long and mostly irrelevant, hah.

    Yagman seems to have intentionally picked fights with judges in order to get them kicked off cases because he wanted to get judges that were more pro-plaintiff. I didn’t know he was so infamous, I just heard about his reputation from some law clerks.

    tyem (72cd87)

  17. […] Controversial California attorney Stephen Yagman has been indicted for tax fraud. Patterico has the details here. Our coverage of Yagman’s cases on behalf of a GitMo detainee and against the LAPD are here. Related Topics: Law | digg this […]

    The Southern California Law Blog » Yagman Indicted for Tax Fraud (36e489)

  18. […] Guess what, Mr. Yagman? I read the news with unlimited glee and profound satisfaction myself. […]

    Patterico’s Pontifications » Stephen Yagman: “Boo-Hoo, This Wetter Hurt My Feeeeewings!” (421107)

  19. Yagman is one of the best attorneys around, the problem is so many of these right wing bigot judges are corrupt and they just want to be bias towards him and his tyoe of cases. You can sling mud with phony charges all year long-resumed innocent until proven otherwise-so Yagman is innocent in my book–and that of the law.

    Paul Harris (ee9fe2)

  20. You can sling mud with phony charges all year long-resumed innocent until proven otherwise-so Yagman is innocent in my book–and that of the law.

    Tell that to the California Bar. I know, I know, you probably think they’re a bunch of right-wing bigots, too, as is everyone else on the planet who doesn’t think your hero craps ice cream.

    Xrlq (8e9f3c)

  21. good luck yagman. No one has bigger balls than you. Of course you were singled out. We all know that.

    Brad neal (c7ffb4)

  22. 21. “good luck yagman. No one has bigger balls than you. Of course you were singled out. We all know that.”

    There a few people with balls “bigger than” Yagman, such as the officers who took on the N. Hollywood bank robbers in the face of overwhelming firepower, or the senior woman living alone who dares to call the police under threat of GBI from gang bangers. Is Yagman really a man of courage to some of you? He was a brat who wanted only his pound flesh. Yagman’s claim was that the LAPD was mostly corrupt. I claim he dabbled in a little bit of self projection.

    Klrsbane (6c15cc)

  23. It was a warm, smoggy day in the city. The stone faced juror’s filed into the court room. The foreman read the verdict…GUILTY, all 19 counts.
    Yagman showed no emotion upon hearing the verdict. BUT…. his sub-concious (if he has one) is saying, “Holy shit, LeFrois was right. Bubba will be waiting for me.”
    This is the way it was in the city, Friday, June 22, 2007. I use to work here. I’m a retired L.A. cop…and a proud member of SIS.
    I WILL be at Mr. Yagman’s sentencing….you can bet on that!!!!!

    Jerry LeFrois (de5a83)

  24. Yeah!

    sam (dfd7fe)

  25. Jerry: Get there early because it’s going to be standing room only to see Stevie do the perp walk.

    sam (dfd7fe)

  26. Thanks for the news, Jerry. I have a new post up announcing it.

    It’s a great day.

    Patterico (017d15)

  27. But really, let’s can the talk about “Bubba” — OK? I think Yagman is despicable, but nobody deserves to be raped in prison.

    Patterico (2a65a5)

  28. I had been hearing about Stephen Yagman since I was a kid. My parents are pornographers, and had many interactions with him during the 80s because of the Reagan-era crackdown on pornography.

    I understand that this is all hearsay, but they mostly had bad things to say about the guy even though he was on their side. My dad used to laugh at what a crook he was. He describes Yagman’s mentality as a “fuck everyone” attitude, which included the cops, judges, other attorneys, and his clients.

    Nick (3186a2)

  29. what was the ruling?

    sullivan (190a7d)

  30. You only future is in PRISON with the big boys. Have Fun.

    Police Officer (e490f4)

  31. I worked LAPD for 15 years….Yagman has always been a total asshole. I’m glad he’s finally going to jail! The idiot deserves what he’s going to get. I hope “bubba” bitch slaps him a few times before he makes him suck his dick then fucks him in the ass.

    Margaret (3b6fb2)

  32. Its a shame on how the government went, and conducted themselves, after Mr. Yagman. He was the proverbial “Flea” on the dog [government]. Sooner or later they were going to get him. They had it out for him. They have the money, time and especially the courts. What we need is more of like him. And for those who think that the government can do no wrong… be on their “bad” side and see what happens. You can run but can’t hide.

    David (be012f)

  33. David, so you are saying that attorneys that misappropriate clients funds are only prosecuted if the government has a vendetta?

    I’m looking forward to you defending that claim.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  34. Yes!!

    David (be012f)

  35. And your supporting evidence for this bold claim?

    Preferrably not a quotation from Yagman.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  36. My curt reply is predicated on Mr. Yagman’s involvement in the violation(s) of this government on the people… US! Remember Ruby Ridge! That was the initial inception of the governments dissension(s)on him. What a sorry state of affairs. Must re-read the preamble of the constitution.

    David (be012f)

  37. Non responsive, David. Perhaps you’d like to list for us all the attorneys who committed the same criminal offenses as Yagman and were not prosecuted.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  38. If you allow this government to go on with what ever it wants to do, then you would not be concerned if it came after you. And who would be there to defend you. Guess you can do a good enough job of defending yourself. And as for Mr. Yagman: his fate was started with Ruby Ridge and the final nail was Guantanamo. There are a lot of aspersions on his character, but if anything happen to you, in this litigious society, get ready for the legal affray. See who will be there to defend you.

    David (5c973b)


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