Stewart Rosenwasser, a former Orange County, New York prosecutor, died in an apparent suicide as federal agents arrived to arrest him on bribery charges. The FBI had a warrant for Rosenwasser’s arrest following an indictment that alleged he accepted bribes while working for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. When the FBI arrived at his home, Rosenwasser reportedly pointed a gun at them, resulting in at least one shot being fired by the agents. Rosenwasser then barricaded himself and took his own life.
The indictment accused Rosenwasser of accepting at least $63,000 in bribes from a co-defendant in exchange for using his position to investigate and prosecute individuals at the co-defendant’s request. The co-defendant allegedly paid Rosenwasser through money orders, checks, and cash over several months. Rosenwasser also allegedly lied about his relationship with the co-defendant to cover up his criminal conduct.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment on the case, and the FBI stated that its Inspection Division was reviewing the agent-involved shooting. Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler expressed sadness over the situation and offered condolences to Rosenwasser’s family. Rosenwasser had received awards for his work in the district attorney’s office and had resigned quietly in June. The case highlights the serious consequences of corruption and unethical behavior in law enforcement.
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