Michael Wein & Arnold Bruckner, Attorneys SCAM ARTIST ATTORNEYS BILK 83 YR. OLD LADY OUT OF $71,000!! Greenbelt Maryland

This "Report" was written by a disgruntled individual with a history of making false reports, by the name of Peter Garrity.  You can find a different company’s well written and documented response to a different false report by Mr. Garrity, here.

ripoffreport.com/reports/country-pride-food-service/eldersburg-maryland-21784/country-pride-food-service-complete-fraud-food-only-sold-with-a-rip-off-freezer-or-ot-861206

To the extent further explanation may be of interest to respond,  as part of the public record, Mr. Garrity’s mother was my client, and Mr. Garrity had agreed to pay the litigation costs.   They hired us (Mr. Bruckner, now retired and Michael Wein, Esquire) for a multilmillion dollar claim of damages, resulting from a long ago "injustice" involving Peter's father, who was convicted in Massachusetts.  It was an hourly rate agreement and suit.  They filed the suit in Federal Court of Maryland pro se, the day before Statute of Limitations, primarily on breach of fiduciary duty claims.  At that time, Mr. Garrity was apparently working in a business he ran and owned, which allowed him to assist his mother financially with the litigation.   My office, prior to any significant work beginning, provided a detailed 4 page synopsis of what was hoped to accomplish, though noting that if everything goes "perfectly" the end would result would that the case could be tried in the only case that had jurisdiction, and had a favorable long Statute of Limitations, in Massachusetts.  

Mr. Garrity and his mother agreed with that work, and I obtained expert testimony in addition to preparing and arguing filings confirming the legitimacy of the underlying case, in a request that the Court "transfer" the case to Massachusetts Federal Court, under the "saving" Federal Transfer statute.   Three attorneys representing various defense parties, sought that the case be dismissed with prejudice, in Maryland, instead.   After a somewhat contentious hearing, the Maryland Federal Court agreed with our request to transfer to Massachusetts, and the Garritys were thrilled.   The opposing attorneys were clearly unhappy. (I recall they didn't even shake our hands after the ruling)   There was originally approximately $20K in bills including 3rd party bills with experts due, from the work, nearly all the had been accumulated in the runup to the hearing.   We had already secured the interest of a well-qualified counsel in Massachusetts, who had recently won a multi-million dollar verdict in a similar fraud matter, who was willing to take the case, with a reasonable retainer agreement.

Back to that 4 pages synopsis....virtually every part had been accomplished, and clients were happy, and  stated to us they expected the outstanding bill to be paid shortly.   However, months go by without payment.  It is eventually discovered that Mr. Peter Glenn Garrity, had all his bank accounts “frozen” and "seized" by state and Federal authorities, about a month after our win, for being involved with a "Ponzi scheme," as described by Federal Judge Roger Titus.  The CEO of the mortgage company affiliated with the "Ponzi Scheme" was sentenced to 150 years.  archives.fbi.gov/archives/baltimore/press-releases/2012/owner-and-founder-of-metro-dream-homes-sentenced-to-150-years-in-prison-in-78-million-mortgage-fraud-scheme   Other employees and conspirators were convicted as well.

Mr. Garrity was not charged or arrested, though his business' bank accounts were seized related to this case, and the State and federal governments kept all the money from his business, to be used to help the victims of the Ponzi scheme. Thus, there was apparently no money to complete the work with the very qualified attorney in Massachusetts, who regularly worked fraud cases.  When this was discovered, that Mr. Garrity could not pay his owed fees and costs, including outstanding costs due to the 3^rd party expert, I attempted to agree to a payment plan, but now Garrity was using threats to respond, none that were remotely based in reality.   These threats were reminiscent to the “country pride” complaint he also made around that time, linked to above.  Though the very qualified attorney who handled complex fraud cases in Massachusetts had agreed to represent them, with a modest retainer agreement, the Garritys could no longer afford it, due to the government seizures of assets.  

Mr. Garrity has also been arrested numerous times particularly for theft and other offenses (and sometimes convicted) in recent years.  A listing of those case be found through the below link.

casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquiry-results.jsp?middleName=&partyType=&lastName=GARRITY&filingEnd=&filingDate=&site=00&filingStart=&d-16544-o=1&d-16544-p=1&d-16544-s=7&countyName=&action=Search&courtSystem=B&firstName=PETE&company=N

Mr. Garrity also was involved with a case with his ex-wife, that originally had Certiorari granted by the Court of Appeals of Maryland.  That appeal case involved multiple amicus groups including House of Ruth who sought review against him, when he sued (successfully for $1000) after he was charged but acquitted of criminal charges, after his ex-wife called 911, because despite a restraining Order, Mr. Garrity was apparently standing across the street, which was not technically in violation of the yard limit in the restraining Order.  This is discussed in the amicus brief attached.

dvleap.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=2AszlLQiMb4%3D&tabid=179

In the end, Mr. Garrity and his mother, were sued for outstanding attorneys fees and expenses due, after me and co-counsel had won the case as much as we could have "won" it.   Unbeknownst to us, and after we had succeeded in the suit, as he originally acknowledged he was happy at the result, he had all his business’ bank accounts seized for being involved with a Ponzi scheme.  Then he refused all manners of reasonableness to get it resolved.   He insisted on a jury trial and argued "wikipedia" as a defense for his actions.   The civil Jury of 6 Prince George's County citizens, rejected his vain attempts, and awarded every cent that was requested of $40,000, for attorneys fees due and owed which included 4 years interest and costs.