Home New York Press Releases 2009 Hedge Fund Swindler’s Girlfriend Pleads Guilty to Assisting in His Flight to Avoid Prison
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Hedge Fund Swindler’s Girlfriend Pleads Guilty to Assisting in His Flight to Avoid Prison

U.S. Attorney’s Office February 10, 2009
  • Southern District of New York (212) 637-2600

LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEBRA RYAN pleaded guilty today in White Plains federal court to a one-count Information charging her with aiding and abetting Samuel Israel, III’s failure to surrender to serve a 20-year sentence. As stated by RYAN during her plea and by the Government at various proceedings in the case:

RYAN knew that Israel was required to begin serving his sentence on June 9, 2008, and helped Israel avoid surrendering to begin serving his sentence. On the night before Israel was supposed to go to prison, RYAN, in her car, followed Israel, who was driving an RV, to a highway rest area. Israel parked the RV at the rest area and RYAN drove them back to the house that they shared. Israel subsequently picked up the RV from the rest stop and used it to avoid surrendering to serve his sentence.

On June 10, 2008, RYAN informed the New York State Police that she had located a suicide note written by Israel, and she then provided the note to them. In addition, on numerous occasions during interviews with law enforcement officers who were investigating whether Israel had committed suicide or had fled, RYAN denied any knowledge of Israel’s whereabouts.

RYAN faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge KENNETH M. KARAS on May 22, 2009.

Assistant United States Attorneys SARAH R. KRISSOFF and MARGERY B. FEINZIG are in charge of the criminal prosecution.

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