Former Candidate Sentenced for Wire Fraud in Georgia

A former candidate for DeKalb County Superior Court has been sentenced to prison for wire fraud after using investor money to fund his campaign and personal expenses.

Michael Rothenberg, 36, of DeKalb County, Georgia, was sentenced to three years, five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $800,000.

Rothemberg was convicted on September 11, 2013, after he pleaded guilty to the charges. According to the charges, Rothenberg deceitfully persuaded the owners of WinterHawk Energy and Development Corporation into investing a total of $1.35 million.

The money was supposed to be placed in a trust account controlled by Rothenberg, which would be used to fund the trading of notes by large financial institutions. However, no investment existed, and Rothenberg used the money to fund his political campaign and pay personal expenses.

Rothemberg placated the investors’ concerns by emailing them fabricated bank statements, which made it appear as if the money they had invested remained in his trust account and that Rothenberg himself was wealthy. He ultimately was unsuccessful in his bid for a judgeship.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Grimberg prosecuting the case. The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance.

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