Steve Mandala couldn't keep a straight face as he was whisked off to prison.
I wonder if his New York criminal defense lawyers were as amused as he was.
Steve Mandala, 29, apparently found his criminal charges extremely amusing. As he pleaded guilty to felony grand larceny and identity theft, he smirked before the judge.
"Yes your honor," Steve Mandala said, between smirks.
Steve Mandala was on trial for allegedly conning Wall Street giant Merrill Lynch out of $780,000. Mandala tricked the investment bank into hiring him by providing fake documents showing that he was a profitable hire. He then pocketed the signing bonus and quit shortly after, buying a Ferrari with the funds. He also allegedly stole his ex-girlfriend's father's identity and used it to spend under an American Express account.
While his behavior may have come as a surprise to some and may possibly have been viewed as arrogance by others, his New York criminal defense attorney maintains that Steve Mandala's laughter was simply a reflection of his good mood after learning he would have a lighter sentence.
"You knock a year off a guy's jail sentence- that tends to make him smile in court," said his New York criminal defense lawyer.
Mandala will be sentenced on June 2. The Manhattan Supreme Court Justice was initially demanding a sentence of three to nine years, but came down after Steve Mandala agreed to pay back $380,000 to Merrill Lynch within 10 years.
To learn more about plea deals and how to negotiate a lighter sentence, read some of our related resources or contact a New York criminal defense lawyer.
Related Resources
- Judge Rejects Steve Mandala's White Collar Plea Deal (FIndLaw's New York Criminal Law Blog)
- Plea Deals (FindLaw)
- Find a New York Criminal Defense Attorney (FindLaw)
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