At the firm, one of Melissa's closest friends was Debra Villegas, who was the COO. Despite conspiracy theories early on, investigators say Lewis was never a part of Rothstein's $1.6 billion Ponzi scheme and her death had nothing to do with him. Debra Villegas Sr. In July 2016, Tony was found guilty of first-degree murder. Tony Villegas, now 52, was arrested in 2008 and charged with the death of Melissa Britt Lewis. Before receiving a 10-year sentence, Villegas re-married in 2010 to 39-year-old Daniel Coffey in Pembroke Pines. She was going to be the next matriarch in the family and she was just taken away just like that," said LaPointe. La Spata was born in South Plainfield, New Jersey in 1981. Debra Villegas, who has been released following a federal prison term for her role in one of the largest Ponzi schemes, is expected to testify as is the couple's son. Butts reiterated the story told at the previous plea hearing that Rothstein had told Villegas she needed to assist him in a Mafia-run money-laundering operation and that Villegas believed that if she didn't help him, he would be killed. Debra Villegas testified that her ex-husband was violent man and threatened Villegas. View the profiles of people named Debra Diana Villegas. She said, We talked about it, neither one of us wanted a gun, she was living alone, so she felt she needed something to, you know I was going through a difficult divorce and living on my own as well, so I decided on a Taser, and she decided on pepper spray. The most damning evidence came in the form of physical evidence. Before receiving a 10-year sentence, Villegas re-married in 2010 to 39-year-old Daniel Coffey in Pembroke Pines. It is unknown if Rothstein . When the police investigated they found a web of fraud, betrayal and more than $1 billion in missing money. "I asked him how he got it on him and he told me he was going through some boxes and the bottle burst on him and that is how he got it on him," Pascual testified. Investigation Discovery's 'Six Degrees of Murder: Going Places' delves into this very case. Another Florida Inmate Claims To Have Been Dumped Sheriff Gee calls for independent jail investigation. Lewis was the best friend of Villegas ex. source of local news and culture, Deirdra Funcheon Scott W. Rothstein (born June 10, 1962) is a disbarred lawyer, convicted felon, and the former managing shareholder, chairman, and chief executive officer of the now-defunct Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler law firm.He funded an extravagant lifestyle with a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme, one of the largest such in history. The authorities earlier confirmed that pepper spray had been used in the garage. what time does fnaf 1 take place. Watch. The third result is Debra Ann Villegas age 60s in Lakeport, CA. Debra, who was by then divorced and went by the last name Coffey, testified that Tony had threatened both of them in the past. A pest exterminator also came by Melissas home to find the garage door open and her car missing, an ominous sign. "No, she admitted shehad knowledge of thescheme,"answeredAssistant U.S. AttorneyJeffrey Kaplan answered. Her 10-year prison term was reduced because she cooperated. It is a message to all that if you choose greed over integrity, you will have to pay the price.. But Zloch was unimpressed. The song was released as the album's fourth single in the United States in mid . Rothstein was involved in a Ponzi scheme, making tons and tons of money and perhaps there are certain people from the Rothstein firm who found out about this and that was not good for the firm," saidFleisher. He changed the sentence to 48 months. Debra Villegas, 47, was granted a reduction to her 10-year prison sentence by U.S. District Judge William Zloch. 21-468 (FAB). Despite a psychologist's testimony that Debra Villegas suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome brought on by a lifetime of abuse by her mother and ex . debra villegas rothstein's right-hand woman released from prison debra villegas mano derecha de rothstein liberada de la carcel. Last week, Debra Villegas testified that her ex-husband was a violent man and had threatened them. Debra Villegas, who has been released following a federal prison term for her role in the Ponzi scheme, took the stand during the trial. She could have been a hero, not a convicted felon. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. The former chief operating officer at the law firm run by convicted Ponzi scheme operator Scott Rothstein was sentenced Friday to the maximum 10 years in federal prison for her role in the $1.2 billion fraud. It is unknown if Rothstein . debra villegas releasedteams work better when the organizational structure. She also spoke after the verdict. 1996 Jessie Banks: Competed in Basketball . My mind was not where it should have been, Villegas replied. Villegas' attorney, Bruce Fleisher, said pieces of the prosecutor's puzzle are missing and will cast doubt in the eyes of the jury. Then it was finally Villegas' turn to take the podium. Criminally derived proceeds from the scheme, in excess of $10,000, were transferred between and among accounts at financial institutions. The Business . Hall of Winners | Performance.gov All comments and opinions are submitted by Internet users . She was 30 years of age when she was fatally shot . Debra Villegas was sentenced to 10-years in after pleading guilty to her role in Rothstein's scheme. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. I'm going to win in the end.'". Join Facebook to connect with Debbie Villegas and others you may know. I'm sure you'll love the subject inside of The Man Who Invented Vegemite. Debra Coffey, the ex-wife of Tony Villegas, who is charged with murdering her best friend Melissa Britt Lewis, took the stand to testify against him Tuesday. He convinced investors to buy stakes in bogus lawsuit settlements. local Journalism in South Florida. A button that had been torn of it was found on her garage floor. Attorneys Alison Lehr, Michelle Alvarez, and Evelyn Sheehan. Residential Address: A man who had rented Tony a room stated that he saw him wash his hands and arms to remove pepper spray residue. She felt like Mr. Rothstein saved her life and the lives of her children, Butts testified. Welcome to Plathville: Kim Plath Arrested for DUI in 2022. "We talked about it, neither one of us wanted a gun, she was living alone so she felt she needed something to, you know I was going through a difficult divorce and living on my own as well, so I decided on a Taser and she decided on pepper spray," Villegas testified. Debra was estranged from her husband, Tony Villegas, at the time. Hall of Winners | Performance.gov All comments and opinions are submitted by Internet users . For money laundering charges, term of custody up to 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, and three years of supervised release. Villegas's next court appearance is scheduled for May 13. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And Butts said that even prior to the murder of her best friend, Melissa Britt Lewis, a crime police allege Villegas' husband, Tony Villegas, committed, Debra Villegas suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder that was only intensified by the murder and her belief that if she didn't falsify documents and forge signatures for Rothstein, he would be killed by the Mafia. Transcript for Subway Push Suspect Denied Bail. Find Debra Villegas. Sometimes Debra goes by various nicknames including Debra R Villegas. Her maiden name is Papania and she married into the Villegas family. Debra Coffey, who went by the name Debra Villegas during her 15-year marriage to Tony Villegas, described victim Melissa Britt Lewis as her dearest friend and said they grew even closer. Related to: Rachel Villeags, Luis Carlos Villegas, Diane Pamela Villegas, , +2 more. In addition, Villegas assisted in the preparation of documents relating to the purported confidential settlements. "Yes, your honor," she answered. The latest Tweets from MsDebyV (@debravillegas): "RT to #VoiceSaveNoah https://t.co/YDdp1BoCst" The gifts of prison sentences keep coming, thanks to Scott Rothstein.Debra Villegas, the second in command for Rothstein's gigantic Ponzi scheme, surrendered to her new home at a minimum-security federal prison last week to begin her ten-year sentence.Villegas, now 44, pleaded guilty last year to forging legal documents and laundering. The hearing hit its dramatic zenith during testimony from Villegas' psychologist regarding her youth, which she said was marred by an alcoholic mother, living on her own in a truck at the age of 15, and rape. Debra Villegas received the maximum sentence of ten years in prison this morning for her role in the massive Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme. Age: 47 years old. 2018. . A witness stated that she saw a car similar to Tonys in the parking lot where Melissas car was eventually found. Many female criminals need therapy, not confinemen Florida agencies face deep cuts across board, Stripper says judge shielded her from creditors. Elizabeth "Liz" Villegas*(p): Volleyball Coach. In her first interview, Debra Villegas speaks to Dennis Murphy about the billion dollar Ponzi scheme run by Scott Rothstein. Villegas faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Tony stood trial in 2016 after initially being ruled incompetent in 2010. 1998 Dr. Kay Aguilar: Competed in Tennis, Coach. Prosecutors said he killed Melissa Britt Lewis in March 2008 because he blamed her for the break up of the marriage with his wife Debra, who was Lewis' best friend. debra villegas released. She said Villegas was "abducted" by two men from the bar and raped. Debra Villegas, who has been released following a federal prison term for her role in the Ponzi scheme, took the stand during the trial. Lewis was ambushed at her Plantation home, strangled and then her body was dumped in a canal. (D2) David Villegas Age: 49 San Diego, CA (D3) John Bomenka Age: 54 San Diego, CA . Tony forcedone of her children to sleep in a dog crate at one point,Butts testified, and "[Debra] went into the dog crate with her child and refused to leave." On Monday, four witnesses testified for the state, including Villegas' roommate, Wilset Pascual, who said he saw Villegas, at home, scrubbing mace off his hands after the killing. Melissa returned from work sometime in the evening on March 5, 2008, but she didnt show up the next day. This is 5.8 percent higher than the average pay for co-workers but 24.8 percent lower than the national average for government employees. Debra Villegas' roommate testified that when he came home the day of Lewis's disappearance, he found Tony Villegas washing pepper spray off of his hands and arms. Meantime, Villegas says he's innocent and hislawyerBruce Fleishersaid the outcome might have been differentif he hadbeen allowed to talkabout Rothstein during the trial. Villegas didn'tvisibly react to the sentence butbegan crying afterward outside the courtroom. This postwill be updated, certainly after the sentencing. Lewis was a law partner of notorious convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein. Debra Villegas testified at her ex-husbands trial in June 2016. She said she and Lewis armed themselves against his threats. The Ponzi scheme involved the sale of purported confidential settlement agreements in sexual harassment and/or whistle blower cases that were purportedly handled by attorneys at Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler, PA. 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