Deposition of Scott Rothstein re - Trustee Services

1 June 4th, Mr. Lichtman asked you a question about when
2 the bridge loans started, and you said you really
3 couldn't recall. And he said was it 2004 or perhaps
4 earlier, and you said yes, but you couldn't put a
5 precise date on when that portion of the Ponzi scheme
6 began. Do you recall that?
7 A. I don't know what day he said, but if that's
8 what the transcript says, I'll take your word for it
9 at this moment.
10 Q. Well, as you sit here, do you recall whether
11 the Ponzi scheme and bridge loans started in 2004?
12 A. I don't recall. There were points in time
13 before any of this started, Gary, that we were, in
14 essence, borrowing money from clients to fund the law
15 firm. It wasn't a full-blown Ponzi scheme at the
16 time, it was simply borrowing money and paying it back
17 at exorbitant interest rates to try to keep the law
18 firm afloat. So the exact start date of the Ponzi
19 scheme, I can't tell you the exact start date of when
20 it went from a bridge loan, from just a couple of
21 loans from assorted clients and friends, to a scheme
22 where money was going in and out on a rapid regular
23 basis. I can't tell you for certain, I'd be guessing.
24 Q. Well, today we've seen that Mr. Lipsitz and
25 Mr. Tonacchio did not provide you any funds until you
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