Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

You are here: Home / Archives for Aaron Troodler

Troodler sentenced to probation, fined $20,000 in Ramapo corruption case

by

Photo of Troodler arriving at federal courthouse

Aaron Troodler (left) arriving at federal courthouse for sentencing. Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News

“Aaron Troodler today was spared prison time when he was sentenced to probation and a $20,000 fine as a reward for testifying against his co-defendant, former Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, who has been sentenced to prison on his May securities fraud conviction.

The disbarred attorney was given 18 months supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel, who ruled he must pay $15,000 immediately, then $550 a month for 18 months.
Troodler apologized for his actions, saying he embarrassed himself and his family. His parents and about a dozen other friends and family members were in the crowd in White Plains on Tuesday as the sentence was pronounced. [Read more…]

Sentencing Hearing Part 2 Nov. 29

by

The second sentencing hearing for Christopher St. Lawrence at the Federal Courthouse in White Plains ended today at 1 pm. The prosecution’s expert witness from the SEC, Jonathan Wilcox explained how he determined the $2.3 million loss incurred by those who invested in the misrepresented Ramapo RLDC bonds. After hours of questioning, Judge Cathy Seibel adjourned the session and scheduled a resumption on December 11 at 1 pm. At that time, the expert witness for the defense will also present their estimate of the losses, if any, incurred by the investors. This information is necessary for the court to arrive at a number for the damage caused by St. Lawrence’s fraudulent numbers that were used to apply for the ballpark bonds. To be determined yet are the issues of a personal fine and the length of the sentence to be imposed. Judge Seibel also postponed the sentencing of Aaron Troodler until after the St. Lawrence sentencing is completed.

Executive Director of RLDC disbarred

by

Bronze statue of Justice

Aaron Troodler, the Ramapo Town attorney who served as Christopher St. Lawrence’s Executive Director of the Ramapo Local Development Corp (RLDC) has been disbarred by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York. On March 7, 2017, he plead guilty to federal offenses including securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and wire fraud. He still awaits sentencing on December 12 in U.S. District court.  [Read more…]

Troodler’s federal sentencing rescheduled for Dec. 12 after St. Lawrence sentencing on Nov. 27

by

Aaron Troodler (left) at the courthouse Photo: LoHud file

“Former Ramapo Assistant Town Attorney Aaron Troodler’s sentencing on federal fraud charges has been rescheduled for Dec. 12, a couple of weeks after his former boss, ex-town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, learns how much time he will serve in prison.

Troodler cut a cooperation deal with federal prosecutors and testified against St. Lawrence at trial over two days in April. His cooperation could lead to a lesser sentence. He faces a maximum statutory prison term of 25 years. [Read more…]

Plea deal: Troodler will testify against Ramapo’s St. Lawrence

by

Photo of St. Lawrence listening to public remarks

Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence’s corruption trial is set for mid-April

“Former Ramapo attorney Aaron Troodler is expected to testify against his former co-defendant, Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, as part of his guilty plea to federal fraud and corruption charges, the plea agreement confirms.

Troodler pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in White Plains to committing securities fraud as part of a corruption scheme involving the financing of the town’s baseball stadium through the Ramapo Local Development Corp. Troodler, a former deputy town attorney, also served as the LDC’s executive director while St. Lawrence chaired the three-member board. He now lives in Pennsylvania. [Read more…]

Ramapo must move beyond St. Lawrence: JN Editorial

by

Sign Resign now

Aaron Troodler’s guilty plea confirms troubles in town. The buck stops with the supervisor, who still faces similar federal charges.

“The surprise guilty plea by Aaron Troodler, former executive director of the Ramapo Local Development Corporation, demonstrates the “reprehensible corruption” that Ramapo residents fear. Troodler, by admitting to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, validates that the town’s leadership has failed. And the buck stops with Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence. He must resign, so Ramapo can move forward. [Read more…]

Ramapo: Aaron Troodler pleads guilty to fraud, conspiracy

by

Aaron Troodler Photo: Kathy Gardner/The Journal News

“Aaron Troodler, the former executive director of the Ramapo Local Development Corporation, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he conspired with Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence in a corruption scheme involving the financing of the town’s baseball stadium and other projects.

Troodler, 42, admitted to committing securities fraud as a part of a scheme to defraud investors in municipal bonds issued by the RLDC and the town, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said. [Read more…]

Zeroing in on government fraud

by

SEC fishing clipped image

by Steven Malanga, city-journal.org February 16, 2017

This article from the City Journal provides a thorough explanation of the federal crimes that Christopher St. Lawrence, Aron Troodler, Michael Klein, and Nathan Oberman are charged with. It also explains why this is a benchmark prosecution for the DEC and the FBI.

In April, an unprecedented criminal trial will kick off in federal court in New York, with two representatives of the town of Ramapo facing multiple counts of securities fraud. Prosecutors have frequently indicted public officials for embezzling taxpayer money or taking bribes, but this case marks the first attempt to convict officials for fabricating a town’s financial statement in order to raise money in the bond market—in this instance, to pay for a new minor-league baseball stadium. Ramapo town supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and Ramapo Local Development Corporation executive director N. Aaron Troodler “kicked truth and transparency to the curb,” alleges the indictment, by lying to investors about the town’s crumbling finances. Among the maneuvers the pair employed, prosecutors say, was to shift around assets in city accounts and to exaggerate the size of payments the town had received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for cleanup after Superstorm Sandy. [Read more…]

St. Lawrence corruption trial delayed until April

by

Shield of the Dept of Justice

“The anticipated federal corruption trial against Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and a former top economic development aide has been rescheduled for April, with the judge promising no more delays, court documents say.

St. Lawrence, a Democrat and the town’s 16-year supervisor, and former deputy town attorney Aaron Troodler face charges of securities and wire fraud and conspiracy involving the financing of the town’s baseball stadium and other projects developed through the Ramapo Local Development Corp. Troodler served as the quasi-government’s executive director, while St. Lawrence chaired the agency’s three-member board. [Read more…]

Ramapo Defendants: We didn’t commit fraud because nobody was hurt

by

Logo for the Bond Buyer newspaper

From The Bond Buyer
By Jack Casey

WASHINGTON – The Ramapo Local Development Corp. and three individuals facing Securities and Exchange Commission securities fraud charges are asking a federal judge to dismiss the SEC’s complaint, claiming, among other things, that no one was hurt.

The four defendants are separately responding to the SEC’s complaint filed on April 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. They are each also asking for a jury trial.

The individuals are: Christopher St. Lawrence, supervisor and director of finance for the town, as well as president of the RLDC; Aaron Troodler, the former executive director of the RLDC; and Nathan Oberman, the town’s deputy finance director. [Read more…]