We often can’t prove addiction in corrupt public figures. However, addiction is the best explanation for the behaviors of attorneyMarc Dreier, former Congressman William Jefferson, a bunch of rabbis and officials in New Jersey and New York, and a couple of Ponzi operators named Bravata and Trabulsy.
Under watch:
In an early 2009 piece on white collar crime, The Economis magazine mentioned something those who have read my books would predict: “Many [Club Fed and other white collar] prisoners suddenly discover, post-conviction, that they had a drinking problem….” I would add that those who don’t figure this out might benefit from greater introspection. In the spirit of The Economist’s discovery, a litany of recent cases follow for which the evidence of alcoholism is in the crime itself.
Disgraced lawyer Marc Dreier, sentenced to 20 years after admitting to selling $700 million in fake promissory notes and to stealing client funds. Dreier, who was featured in the January 2009 TAR “under watch” section, explained that his crimes “in part” grew ...
