Ariel A. Neuman Principal

Representative Cases

• Representative Matters at Bird Marella

  Conducted an internal investigation for a major league sports team.

• Won appeal of order securing demolition of real estate developer Mohamed Hadid’s illegal and dangerous Bel-Air mansion.

• Successfully defended Plains All American Pipeline, a Fortune 150 company, in a four-month trial based on criminal charges filed by the California Attorney General’s Office and Santa Barbara DA’s Office, related to an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara. Obtained dismissal of 37 out of 46 counts.

• Represents real estate developer charged with making an illegal bribe to a Los Angeles City Councilmember.

• Obtained full return of over $4 million in cash seized from client, and convinced US DOJ to abandon the case.

• Represented multiple members of Congress in various grand jury investigations.

• In “bet-the-company” litigation, defeated a preliminary injunction demand that would have shuttered oil-services business and required firing of all employees.

• Represented one of the largest minority-owned broker/dealers in a FINRA arbitration and successfully defeated a demand for a permanent injunction regarding certain business practices related to muni bonds and fixed income investments.

• Represented a financial professional involved in a dispute with his former business partners, who attempted to freeze Mr. Neuman’s client’s out of the partnership and deprive him of his rightful assets and membership interests. The matter was confidentially settled to the satisfaction of Mr. Neuman’s client.

• Represents a doctor in an investigation by the DOJ related to various health care fraud allegations. Mr. Neuman convinced the Assistant U.S. Attorney to reverse a decision to indict the client on charges of billing for non-existent or medically unnecessary procedures.

• Representing a CFO and part owner of a media holding company against money laundering and Travel Act charges in connection with the recent indictment in Arizona relating to Backpage.com, as well as in connection with numerous related forfeiture proceedings in Los Angeles.

• Represented a patent attorney under investigation for violation of the Hobbs Act (extortion involving threats of financial harm). Mr. Neuman set the stage for his client to get immunity from the Department of Justice.

• Represented an individual under investigation for antitrust, anti-competitive activities in the public works construction area. The investigation was closed without any charges being filed against Mr. Neuman’s client.

• Represented an immigration attorney charged with securities fraud and other violations by the SEC related to the attorney’s work on behalf of clients seeking EB-5 visas.

• Represented two prominent physicians under investigation for alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud. The United States Attorney’s Office and Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, closed the investigation without filing any charges against Mr. Neuman’s clients.

• Conducted an internal investigation for the Chinese subsidiary of a US-based technology company. The investigation focused on possible FCPA and tax violations, and was concluded without any finding of wrong-doing.

• In major federal trade-based money laundering prosecution, secured settlement for client that resulted in dismissal of money laundering charges. Mr. Neuman and his colleagues successfully argued for the suppression of evidence illegally seized from one of the client’s business locations.

• Represents a corporate executive facing a civil contempt action brought by the Federal Trade Commission. This case is on hold while other litigation continues, but to date Mr. Neuman has successfully prevented the FTC from deposing his client.

• Represented a number of witness subpoenaed to testify by the California Attorney General before a criminal grand jury in Riverside County. Several of the witnesses were granted immunity as a result of Mr. Neuman and his colleagues’ efforts.

• Representative Matters at the U.S. Attorney’s Office
  In a three-week jury trial of a defendant charged with crimes related to tax evasion, art theft, and art fraud, Mr. Neuman and a colleague secured convictions on all charges. Mr. Neuman joined the case only weeks before trial, took over opening and closing arguments as well as the examination of numerous key witnesses, and earned accolades for his trial advocacy skills from colleagues and onlookers.

• Mr. Neuman led the investigation and prosecution of over a dozen defendants involved in a $20 million mortgage and bank fraud scheme involving short sale and lending fraud on over 35 properties around Southern California. Among the defendants was a former bank officer who accepted bribes to manipulate the bank’s short sale process. Mr. Neuman received a special commendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his efforts in this matter.

• Mr. Neuman and a colleague obtained a conditional guilty plea on the day of trial from a licensed medical doctor who admitted issuing prescriptions for highly addictive narcotic drugs and other medications without a legitimate medical purpose and in exchange for cash. Mr. Neuman successfully defended the conviction before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.

• After a Santa Barbara-based hotel developer and former bank officer defrauded various banks and credit unions and obtained millions of dollars in loans, Mr. Neuman secured a pre-indictment guilty plea and an order of restitution for the victims.

• In a matter that garnered world-wide media attention, Mr. Neuman and a colleague secured the extradition to Mexico of a producer of television shows such as “Survivor” and “Pimp My Ride.” In Mexico, the defendant faced charges of murdering his wife at a Cancun resort and then fleeing back to the United States.

• Mr. Neuman has prosecuted over 200 defendants for violations of federal racketeering (“RICO”) laws. The defendants were members and associates of the Mexican Mafia, as well as several Los Angeles-based gangs. As part of these and related cases, Mr. Neuman won several jury trials where defendants were convicted of RICO charges, murder conspiracy charges, alien smuggling offenses, firearms offenses, and narcotics distribution charges. His efforts were recognized repeatedly in awards and commendations from various organizations.