1
 The government is sharpening its newest weapon against white-collar defendants : 
5002
span

2
the power 
5001
span

3
to prevent them from paying their legal bills.
2
elaboration-object-attribute-e

4
 And defense lawyers are warning 
5003
attribution

5
that they won't stick around 
5003
span

6
if they don't get paid.
5
condition

7
 The issue has come to a boil in Newark, N.J., 
5006
span

8
where federal prosecutors have warned lawyers for Eddie Antar 
5011
attribution

9
that 
5011
Same-Unit

10
if the founder and former chairman of Crazy Eddie Inc. is indicted, 
5008
condition-e

11
the government may move to seize the money 
5008
span

12
that Mr. Antar is using 
5013
span

13
to pay legal fees.
12
purpose

14
 The warning by the U.S. attorney's office follows two decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court last June. 
5022
span

15
 In those cases, the high court ruled 
5018
attribution

16
that federal law gives prosecutors broad authority 
5018
span

17
to seize assets of people 
5019
span

18
accused of racketeering and drug-related crimes, 
17
elaboration-object-attribute-e

19
including fees 
5021
span

20
paid to lawyers before an indictment.
19
elaboration-object-attribute-e

21
 If the government succeeds in seizing Mr. Antar's assets, 
5026
condition

22
he could be left without top-flight legal representation, 
5026
span

23
because his attorneys are likely to quit, 
22
consequence-n

24
according to individuals familiar with the case.
5023
attribution

25
 A seizure also would make the case the largest 
5027
span

26
-- and one of the first -- 
25
evaluation-s-e

27
in which lawyers ' fees have been confiscated in a prosecution 
5028
span

28
unrelated to drugs.
27
elaboration-object-attribute-e

29
 The people 
5033
span

30
who suffer in the short run 
29
elaboration-object-attribute-e

31
are defendants, 
5034
Same-Unit

32
but the people 
5035
span

33
who suffer in the long run 
32
elaboration-object-attribute-e

34
are all of the people, 
5036
Same-Unit

35
because there won't be a vigorous private bar
5038
span

36
 to defend the Bill of Rights, 
35
elaboration-object-attribute-e

37
says Gerald Lefcourt, a criminal defense attorney 
5041
span

38
who says 
5043
attribution

39
he has turned down a number of cases 
5043
span

40
to avoid possible fee seizures.
39
purpose

41
 Mr. Antar is being investigated by a federal grand jury in Newark, 
5045
span

42
where prosecutors have told him 
43
attribution

43
that they may soon seek an indictment on racketeering and securities fraud charges.
5046
span

44
 Under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law, or RICO, the government has the authority 
5048
span

45
to seek to freeze or seize a defendant's assets before trial.
44
elaboration-object-attribute-e

46
 According to individuals familiar with Mr. Antar's case, 
5050
attribution

47
prosecutors issued their warning this week 
5050
span

48
after one of Mr. Antar's attorneys asked 
49
attribution

49
whether legal fees might be subject to seizure.
5051
span

50
 In a letter, prosecutors told Mr. Antar's lawyers 
5057
attribution

51
that 
5057
Same-Unit

52
because of the recent Supreme Court rulings, 
53
consequence-n-e

53
they could expect 
5056
span

54
that any fees 
5053
span

55
collected from Mr. Antar 
54
elaboration-object-attribute-e

56
may be seized. 
5054
Same-Unit

57
 Prosecutors have told Mr. Antar's attorneys 
58
attribution

58
that they believe 
5061
span

59
Mr. Antar's allegedly ill-gotten gains are so great 
5062
span

60
that any money 
5064
span

61
he has used 
5063
span

62
to pay attorneys 
61
purpose

63
derives from illegal activities.
5065
Same-Unit

64
 Therefore, 
5068
span

65
they said, 
64
attribution-e

66
the money can be taken from the lawyers 
5069
Same-Unit

67
even after they are paid.
5069
concession

68
 Justin Feldman and Jack Arseneault, attorneys for Mr. Antar, both declined to comment on the matter.
5072
statement-response-s

69
 In Newark, U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Alito said, 
5076
attribution

70
I don't think 
5077
attribution

71
there's any legal reason 
5077
span

72
to limit forfeiture of attorney 's fees to drug cases.
71
elaboration-object-attribute-e

73
 Mr. Alito said 
5081
attribution

74
his office just responded to an attorney's question 
5079
span

75
about whether we would go after attorney's fees,
74
elaboration-object-attribute-e

76
 and that is different from actually doing it, 
5080
span

77
although we reserve that right.
76
concession

78
 Mr. Antar was charged last month in a civil suit 
5084
span

79
filed in federal court in Newark by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
78
elaboration-object-attribute-e

80
 In that suit, the SEC accused Mr. Antar of engaging in a massive financial fraud 
5085
span

81
to overstate the earnings of Crazy Eddie, Edison, N.J., over a three-year period.
80
elaboration-object-attribute-e

82
 Through his lawyers, Mr. Antar has denied allegations in the SEC suit and in civil suits 
5087
span

83
previously filed by shareholders against Mr. Antar and others.
82
elaboration-object-attribute-e

84
 The SEC has alleged 
5091
attribution

85
that Mr. Antar aimed to pump up the company 's stock price through false financial statements 
5091
span

86
in order to sell his stake 
5090
List

87
and reap huge profits.
5090
List

88
 Mr. Antar, 
5092
span

89
the SEC said, 
88
attribution-e

90
made more than $60 million from the sale of his shares between 1985 and 1987.
5093
Same-Unit

91
 The Justice Department has emphasized 
92
attribution

92
that the government's fee-forfeiture power is to be used sparingly.
5098
span

93
 According to department policy, 
5103
attribution

94
prosecutors must make a strong showing 
5100
span

95
that lawyers ' fees came from assets 
5099
span

96
tainted by illegal profits 
95
elaboration-object-attribute-e

97
before any attempts at seizure are made. 
5100
temporal-before

98
 Still, criminal defense lawyers worry 
5105
span

99
that defendants are being deprived of their Sixth Amendment right to counsel and a fair trial 
5106
span

100
if the government can seize lawyers ' fees.
99
condition

101
 They also worry 
5108
attribution

102
that 
5108
Same-Unit

103
if the government applies asset-forfeiture laws broadly, 
104
condition-e

104
the best defense lawyers will be unwilling to take criminal cases 
5107
span

105
unless they are assured of being paid.
5107
condition

5001
span
1
elaboration-general-specific

5002
span
5005
Consequence

5003
span
5004
span

5004
span
5005
Consequence

5005
multinuc
5015
span

5006
span
5031
span

5007
span



5008
span
5010
span

5009
span



5010
span
5011
Same-Unit

5011
multinuc
5012
span

5012
span
7
elaboration-additional-e

5013
span
11
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5014
span



5015
span
5112
span

5016
span



5017
span
14
elaboration-general-specific

5018
span
5017
span

5019
span
5020
span

5020
span
16
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5021
span
5019
example-e

5022
span
5006
background

5023
span
5025
span

5024
span



5025
span
5030
List

5026
span
5023
span

5027
span
5029
span

5028
span
5027
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5029
span
5030
List

5030
multinuc
5031
hypothetical

5031
span
5032
span

5032
span
5044
span

5033
span
5034
Same-Unit

5034
multinuc
5036
comparison

5035
span
5036
Same-Unit

5036
multinuc
5037
span

5037
span
5039
span

5038
span
5037
explanation-argumentative

5039
span
5040
span

5040
span
5032
interpretation-s

5041
span
5039
attribution

5042
span
37
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5043
span
5042
span

5044
span
5047
span

5045
span
5044
circumstance

5046
span
41
elaboration-additional-e

5047
span
5052
span

5048
span
5047
explanation-argumentative

5049
span
5072
span

5050
span
5049
span

5051
span
47
circumstance

5052
span
5074
span

5053
span
5054
Same-Unit

5054
multinuc
5058
span

5055
span
5054
attribution

5056
span
5055
span

5057
multinuc
5059
span

5058
span
5057
Same-Unit

5059
span
5067
span

5060
span



5061
span
59
attribution

5062
span
5065
circumstance

5063
span
60
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5064
span
5065
Same-Unit

5065
multinuc
5066
span

5066
span
5071
span

5067
span
5049
elaboration-additional

5068
span
5069
Same-Unit

5069
multinuc
5070
span

5070
span
5066
conclusion

5071
span
5059
explanation-argumentative

5072
span
5073
span

5073
span
5083
span

5074
span
5097
span

5075
span
5082
span

5076
span
5075
span

5077
span
5076
span

5078
span
5075
elaboration-additional

5079
span
5081
span

5080
span
5079
comment

5081
span
5078
span

5082
span
5073
elaboration-additional

5083
span
5052
elaboration-additional

5084
span
5086
span

5085
span
5084
elaboration-general-specific

5086
span
5096
span

5087
span
5095
Contrast

5088
span



5089
span
5094
span

5090
multinuc
85
purpose

5091
span
5089
span

5092
span
5093
Same-Unit

5093
multinuc
5089
evidence

5094
span
5095
Contrast

5095
multinuc
5086
elaboration-additional

5096
span
5074
elaboration-additional

5097
span
5005
example

5098
span
5102
span

5099
span
94
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5100
span
5103
span

5101
span
5098
explanation-argumentative

5102
span
5105
concession

5103
span
5101
span

5104
span
5111
span

5105
span
5104
span

5106
span
98
attribution

5107
span
5109
span

5108
multinuc
5110
span

5109
span
5108
Same-Unit

5110
span
5104
elaboration-additional

5111
span
5015
elaboration-additional

5112
span



