a miscarriage of justice

How a Local Dispute Became a National Criminal Case, and Why New York Is at the Center The federal criminal case now pending against Miami-based real estate brokers Oren Alexander, Alon Alexander, and Tal Alexander did not begin with an arrest, a police report, or a criminal investigation. It began years later in Florida, through civil lawsuits, informal communications, and referrals that ultimately culminated in federal charges under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). Today, however, the case is being prosecuted in New York, placing it squarely within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of

Public trust in the justice system rests on a simple expectation: prosecutions should follow evidence, not storylines. When the contemporaneous record—messages, timestamps, and immediate post-event conduct—conflicts with a later allegation, the obligation of prosecutors and the media is not to “interpret” the contradiction into coherence, but to treat it as central. That obligation is unavoidable in a Florida criminal case involving one of the Alexander brothers, where discovery materials and sworn deposition testimony reveal a stark tension between what an accuser’s communications conveyed at the time and what was later alleged. A similar pattern appears in materials that were made

Phil Shawe has two parallel stories running at once. One is the familiar founder arc: bootstrapping TransPerfect from an NYU dorm room into a global language-and-AI platform with roughly $1.2 billion in annual revenue and 10,000 employees. The other is a political-legal crusade: a decade of trench warfare with Delaware’s Court of Chancery that pushed him to re-domicile in Nevada, relocate to Puerto Rico, bankroll reform efforts, and press a broader case that America’s most famous business court has lost the trust of entrepreneurs. From forced sale to deal machine After a bruising cofounder breakup, a court-ordered auction in 2016,

Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted of the most serious charges against him—racketeering and sex trafficking—after a grueling federal trial. Yet when he appeared before Judge Arun Subramanian last week for sentencing, those very allegations determined how long he would stay behind bars. That’s not conjecture; it’s how federal sentencing works. Under current guidelines, a judge may consider uncharged, unproven, or even acquitted conduct in determining punishment, so long as the allegations are deemed “proven” by a preponderance of the evidence—a far lower standard than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” It’s one of the strangest paradoxes in modern justice: a jury says

The following is Part Four of an ongoing series by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Part One, Two and Three recap: Niagara Falls Department of Public Works (DPW) invaded a privately owned home sensory garden, which occupied both public and private property; and removed just about everything. The family whose garden was destroyed were fined $2,300 by the City for expenses incurred during the clean up. Some of the sensory garden was on public property which violated Ordinance 738, but it is unclear as to whether or not any health hazards which may have been discovered on private property prompted the

The following is Part Three of an ongoing series by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Part One recap: Niagara Falls DPW removed a sensory garden owned by a family whose 15 year old son has autism. The sensory garden occupied both public and private property. Local journalist Mark Scheer first reported the story on Friday, April 25th, three days after the incident. Scheer’s Niagara Gazette article and a social media uproar prompted a media frenzy, and the news was covered by WGRZ, WIVB and WKBW. As a direct response to the media coverage, the executive office of the City of Niagara Falls

The following is Part Two of an ongoing series written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Part One recap: Niagara Falls DPW removed a sensory garden owned by a family whose 15 year old son has come a long way since he was originally diagnosed with low functioning, nonverbal autism. The sensory garden occupied both public property (sidewalk/easement) and private property; its removal was conducted during Autism Awareness Month. The City then slapped the family with a $2,300 fine. Local journalist Mark Scheer first reported the story on Friday, April 25th; three days after the incident occurred. The Niagara Gazette article

The following is Part One of an ongoing series written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. THE INCIDENT Monday, April 21st – just one day after Easter, a Niagara Falls family’s sensory garden was confiscated and unintentionally trampled by Niagara Falls Department of Public Works (DPW) employees. The sensory garden occupied space on both public and private property. Adding insult to injury, they were then slapped with a $2,300 removal/clean up fee.  An uproar on social media led to two Niagara Gazette articles written by local investigative journalist Mark Scheer, who was then publicly dressed down by Council Chairman Jim Perry.

By Frank Parlato Family court is supposed to be a place of order, of professionals doing what’s best for children. Family courts are designed to resolve custody and domestic disputes. But sometimes it is a place where wolves wear neckties, a system devoid of juries, opaque in procedure, and imbalanced. Family court is not a neutral forum. It is a place where truth is secondary, due process elusive, and hope obliterated. With no jury to provide balance, and unchecked judicial discretion influenced by power dynamics, it can bring mental, emotional, and financial exhaustion. It can bring being separated from your

The Eastern District of New York’s (EDNY) prosecution of wellness company OneTaste has ignited controversy, not only due to the conspiracy allegations but also because of the government’s attempts to conceal the identities of key witnesses. This effort, recently rejected by the Judge assigned to the case, Diane Gujarati, has reopened debates about balancing witness protection with a defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to confront their accusers. It is important to delve into the procedural issues surrounding witness anonymity in the OneTaste case, emphasizing constitutional protections against secret testimony and the broader implications for due process, especially as defense attorneys allege

Attorneys for Lamar Burks, a Houston entrepreneur wrongfully incarcerated for more than two decades, are intensifying their calls for justice following the emergence of new, compelling evidence that raises serious concerns about misconduct by former DEA Agent Chad Scott and a joint DEA-Houston Police Department (HPD) task force. Civil rights organizations, former federal prosecutors, and prominent figures, including the Houston Chapter of the NAACP, are now urging a federal investigation, alleging systemic abuse of power that led to Burks’ conviction. Background: The Case of Lamar Burks In 1997, Lamar Burks was accused of murdering Earl Perry during an alleged illegal

In an unusual turn of events, the charges against Leor Kweller, a former teacher, were dismissed before trial, and the prosecution’s attempt to appeal the decision has ended. The dismissal marks a significant victory for Kweller and his family, who have been fighting to clear his name and restore his reputation. Leor Kweller, along with his brother Yaron Kweller and their co-defendant Jordan Ringden, faced serious accusations stemming from a November 2021 sexual abuse accusation involving The Colonial and Dos Rios restaurants in downtown Binghamton. The charges had a devastating impact on all of their lives. Yaron and Ringden’s businesses

Now, a relative of Pigeon has commented after reading Coercive Plea Bargain? Pigeon Chooses Eight Months Over Gambling Life in Prison: By a Relative of Both Pigeon and His Sister I’m a relative of Steve’s by marriage, and he is still a friend of my family and myself. His niece, his pathological liar’s sister’s fifth and last child, is just like her mom. She is like her because her mom brainwashed her to lie, just like the mom has done all her life. Her mom is a grown-up, but hasn’t grown up. Steve’s sister has had mental health problems her

By Marie White Sebold’s Apology Too Late In 2021, Alice Sebold, the best-selling author of the memoir “Lucky” and the novel “The Lovely Bones,” issued an apology to Anthony J. Broadwater, a man she had wrongly accused of raping her in 1981 – 39 years after the fact.  Broadwater spent 16 years in prison due to Sebold’s misidentification. He was released in 1998, but was forced to register as a sex offender for another 23 years. Sebold waited to apologize until a state court judge vacated Broadwater’s conviction in Syracuse, N.Y. She knew for months (possibly years) that he was

In a dramatic turn of events, G. Steven Pigeon faced a harrowing decision in the face of serious sexual abuse charges. With the risk of a life sentence looming over him, Pigeon grappled with a gut-wrenching choice: accept a plea deal for a crime he insists he didn’t commit, or face a jury trial with uncertain outcomes. This high-stakes legal drama unfolded in Erie County, where the district attorney’s offer of an eight-month sentence starkly contrasted with the potential life imprisonment. Pigeon’s dilemma highlights the complexities and moral quandaries within the justice system, particularly around coercive plea bargaining and the

Erie County – Nearly two years ago, former Erie County Democratic Chairman, G. Steven Pigeon, was indicted on charges related to an alleged one-time rape of his niece when she was nine years old. His trial is in 35 days. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced the charges on December 2, 2021, five years after the rape reportedly took place. The niece was 14 at the time and is now 16. Pigeon faces two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, first-degree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act, first-degree sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child. Flynn said

Almost two years ago – in December, 2021 – Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced rape charges against Steve Pigeon. Next month, he goes on trial. Pigeon, 62, a former Erie County Democratic Party Chairman, is accused of first-degree rape, predatory sexual assault against a child and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charges stem from an alleged incident involving Pigeon’s then-nine-year-old niece in December, 2016. “This is not just child molestation. This is rape,” stated Flynn, emphasizing the severity of the alleged crime. The trial, slated for December, 2023, seven years after the alleged incident, has garnered significant attention

From Politics to Personal Bonds I’ve known Steve Pigeon for over 25 years, and our association isn’t just professional. We’re friends. I knew him when he was Erie County Democratic Party Chairman and through years of his high-profile work on seven presidential campaigns, his work with billionaires and statesmen in America and overseas. I knew his late parents and I’ve connected with his St. Louis relatives. As I chronicle this case, my friendship with Steve will inevitably color my perspective. Still, I believe he’s innocent. Unraveling the Accusations In 2021, a 14-year-old girl told her mother that her uncle Steve

Buffalo, NY — A former lawyer and Erie County Democratic Chairman, Steve Pigeon, is facing trial for allegedly raping a nine-year-old relative in 2016. Pigeon, known for his role as an adviser to influential politicians, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo and President Bill Clinton, will face a jury on six counts of rape and sexual assault arising from allegations of a single incident with the girl seven years ago. NY State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller will preside. If a jury convicts, Pigeon, who has held positions of power most of his adult life, faces life in prison. The

By Tony Farina Where to start with Steve Pigeon? That’s the question I asked myself when publisher Frank Parlato of the Niagara Falls Reporter asked me to do an update on the former Erie County Democratic Party chairman who is now preparing for a December trial that could be his biggest challenge yet in a life filled with many. Do I start at the beginning when the young Steve Pigeon began to hone his political skills by working with his high school friends to win campaigns for school office and other projects he was supporting? It was the beginning of

Heather Dennis is employed in education. For the sake of disclosure, she knows Steve Pigeon, is familiar with his case, but is not part of his legal team. She did not discuss this post with Pigeon or his legal team before submitting it to Frank Report. Her opinions are her own.     By Heather Dennis This article is about Erie County District Attorney John Flynn’s prosecution of G. Steven Pigeon for child rape, and Pigeon’s motion to disqualify Flynn and appoint a special prosecutor. For Flynn’s sake, for Pigeon’s, for the child accuser, and for the sake of the people’s

Justice Carter, an administrative judge in Western New York, hears arguments on the disqualification of DA John Flynn in Steve Pigeon’s case.

I am Steve Pigeon’s friend. We have been friends for more than 20 years. He recruited me as a PR consultant for NXIVM in 2007. Even though NXIVM tried to target me, Pigeon remained my friend throughout this time. When I accelerated my attack on NXIVM and its founder Keith Raniere in 2017, Pigeon helped me. Raniere is now serving a prison sentence of 120 years.  BUFFALO, NY: On December 2, 2021, G. Steven Pigeon’s life changed.  The Erie County District Attorney charged Pigeon, 61, with rape and sexual assault of a child. The charges stemmed from a single incident that

Everyone had at least one brush with Pigeon By Frank Parlato   A POLITICAL QUESTION The question of whether politics was a motive for New York State Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman’s prosecution of political operative and attorney G. Steven Pigeon, 55, has been debated in a few circles. Last month, Pigeon was charged by Schneiderman with bribing a New York State Supreme Court Justice and extorting a young attorney appointed by that judge to a receivership. Following Pigeon’s arraignment, where he pleaded innocent to all nine counts alleged against him, a reporter asked Pigeon’s attorney, Paul Cambria, if he thought