Attorney Convicted of Obstructing Federal Grand Jury Investigation of His Client by Altering Records

John Servider, an attorney admitted to practice law in the State of New York since 1988, was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn of two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to alter, and alteration of, records for use in a grand jury investigation in the Eastern District of New York.  The verdict followed a seven-day trial before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano.  When sentenced, Servider faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment as to each count of the indictment.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the verdict.

 “Servider served as the fixer in a corrupt attorney-client scheme to obstruct a federal grand jury investigation by falsifying evidence,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will hold accountable attorneys who violate their oaths and the law by obstructing justice.” 

Mr. Donoghue expressed his thanks to the agents and investigators of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of Inspector General, for their outstanding investigative work in the case.

The evidence at trial established that between March 2013 and April 2015, Servider learned that his client Vincent Vertuccio, who secretly controlled the activities of a construction company called Crimson Corp. (Crimson), was the subject of a grand jury investigation.  Several law enforcement agencies, including the IRS, were investigating the flow of funds from Crimson to businesses that had supplied goods and services to Vertuccio.  Vertuccio had not reported those goods and services as taxable income on his federal personal income tax return.  After a grand jury subpoena was served on the jewelry store where Vertuccio purchased jewelry with Crimson funds, Servider and Vertuccio agreed to falsify the jewelry store receipts and invoices by removing any mention of Vertuccio’s name.   

In April 2017, Vertuccio pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and conspiracy to obstruct justice.  He is awaiting sentencing.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar and Jonathan P. Lax are in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendant:

JOHN SERVIDER
Age: 56
Residence: Patterson, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-174 (ENV)