A former prosecutor and retired judge killed himself on Tuesday as the FBI arrived at his home in New York to arrest him.
Stewart Rosenwasser, 72, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an FBI raid on his home in Campbell Hall.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that authorities had arrived at his home as part of an investigation into a corruption case.
According to the FBI there was an exchange of gunfire between Rosenwasser and agents.
The bureau said: ‘The FBI is reviewing an agent-involved shooting that occurred earlier this morning in Campbell Hall, NY. The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents seriously.
‘In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI’s Inspection Division. As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide.’
Stewart Rosenwasser died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an FBI raid on his home in Campbell Hall
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that authorities had arrived at his home as part of an investigation into a corruption case
Rosenwasser was facing an imminent lawsuit involving $48,000 in bribes he allegedly took, according to Times Union.
The outlet say that he had taken money from a Mout’z ‘Marty’ Soudani, who’s nephew Martin Soudani was last year jailed for stealing $1.9 million from his uncle.
Martin Soudani’s lawyers were seeking post-conviction relief by challenging the legality of the conviction and requesting the judgement be vacated
Mout’z had accused both his sister, Eman, and his nephew of stealing the money from him October 2022.
The charges against Eman were dropped, and Martin later pleaded guilty to taking $1.6 million from his uncle and served two months in behind bars.
The entire case against the two was prosecuted after Mout’z paid Rosenwasser to go after his own family, according to federal investigators.
Martin’s lawyers were seeking post-conviction relief by challenging the legality of the conviction and requesting the judgement be vacated.
Just hours after his death, the US District Court in the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment against Rosenwasser charging him in the bribery scheme.
Prosecutors claim that Rosenwasser accepted even more than was alleged in the lawsuit, a total of $63,000.
According to the FBI there was an exchange of gunfire between Rosenwasser and agents
Just hours after his death, the US District Court in the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment against Rosenwasser charging him in the bribery scheme
Rosenwasser and Soudani were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and honest services wire fraud.
Rosenwasser was also charged with extortion and making false statements to the FBI after he was interviewed in June.
Three days after his interview he abruptly quit his job at the District Attorney’s Office where he had worked for five years.
Rosenwasser had been a former county court judge and acting New York state supreme court justice.
Orange County DA David Hoovler said: ‘It’s truly heartbreaking that it ended this way. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family.’
According to a biography, Rosenwasser had served as a judge for seven years from 1999 to 2006.
When he retired in 2006,
