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
circumstance

7
 The issue has come to a boil in Newark, N.J.,
5008
span

8
 where federal prosecutors have warned lawyers for Eddie Antar 
9
attribution

9
that 
5005
span

10
if the founder and former chairman of Crazy Eddie Inc. is indicted,
5009
condition

11
 the government may move to seize the money 
5009
span

12
that Mr. Antar is using to pay legal fees. 
11
elaboration-object-attribute-e

13
 The warning by the U.S. attorney's office follows two decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court last June.
5018
span

14
 In those cases, the high court ruled 
5010
attribution

15
that federal law gives prosecutors broad authority 
5010
span

16
to seize assets of people 
5011
span

17
accused of racketeering and drug-related crimes, 
16
elaboration-object-attribute-e

18
including fees 
5013
span

19
paid to lawyers before an indictment.
18
elaboration-object-attribute-e

20
 If the government succeeds in seizing Mr. Antar's assets, 
5016
condition

21
he could be left without top-flight legal representation,
5016
span

22
 because his attorneys are likely to quit, 
21
reason

23
according to individuals familiar with the case.
5015
attribution

24
 A seizure also would make the case the largest 
5019
span

25
-- and one of the first -- 
24
elaboration-additional-e

26
in which lawyers ' fees have been confiscated in a prosecution 
5021
span

27
unrelated to drugs.
26
elaboration-object-attribute-e

28
 The people 
5022
span

29
who suffer in the short run 
28
elaboration-object-attribute-e

30
are defendants,
5023
Same-Unit

31
 but the people 
5024
span

32
who suffer in the long run 
31
elaboration-object-attribute-e

33
are all of the people, 
5025
Same-Unit

34
because there won't be a vigorous private bar 
5026
span

35
to defend the Bill of Rights, 
34
elaboration-object-attribute-e

36
says Gerald Lefcourt, a criminal defense attorney 
5034
span

37
who says 
5030
attribution

38
he has turned down a number of cases 
5030
span

39
to avoid possible fee seizures.
38
purpose

40
 Mr. Antar is being investigated by a federal grand jury in Newark, 
5037
span

41
where prosecutors have told him 
42
attribution

42
that they may soon seek an indictment on racketeering and securities fraud charges.
5064
span

43
 Under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law, or RICO, the government has the authority 
5038
span

44
to seek to freeze or seize a defendant's assets before trial.
43
elaboration-object-attribute-e

45
 According to individuals familiar with Mr. Antar's case, 
46
attribution

46
prosecutors issued their warning this week 
5039
span

47
after one of Mr. Antar's attorneys asked 
48
attribution

48
whether legal fees might be subject to seizure.
5040
span

49
 In a letter, prosecutors told Mr. Antar's lawyers 
50
attribution

50
that 
5042
span

51
because of the recent Supreme Court rulings,
5045
result

52
 they could expect 
5044
attribution

53
that any fees 
5043
span

54
collected from Mr. Antar
53
elaboration-object-attribute-e

55
 may be seized.
5044
Same-Unit

56
 Prosecutors have told Mr. Antar's attorneys 
5052
attribution

57
that they believe 
5051
attribution

58
Mr. Antar's allegedly ill-gotten gains are so great 
5051
span

59
that any money 
5049
span

60
he has used 
5048
span

61
to pay attorneys 
60
purpose

62
derives from illegal activities.
5050
Same-Unit

63
 Therefore,
5054
span

64
 they said,
63
attribution-e

65
 the money can be taken from the lawyers 
5055
Same-Unit

66
even after they are paid.
5055
concession

67
 Justin Feldman and Jack Arseneault, attorneys for Mr. Antar, both declined to comment on the matter.
5101
List

68
 In Newark, U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Alito said,
5072
attribution

69
 I don't think 
5073
attribution

70
there's any legal reason 
5073
span

71
to limit forfeiture of attorney 's fees to drug cases. 
70
elaboration-object-attribute-e

72
 Mr. Alito said 
5078
attribution

73
his office just responded to an attorney's question 
5075
span

74
about whether we would go after attorney's fees,
73
elaboration-object-attribute-e

75
 and that is different from actually doing it,
5077
Contrast

76
 although we reserve that right.
5077
antithesis

77
 Mr. Antar was charged last month in a civil suit 
5080
span

78
filed in federal court in Newark by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
77
elaboration-object-attribute-e

79
 In that suit, the SEC accused Mr. Antar of engaging in a massive financial fraud 
5082
span

80
to overstate the earnings of Crazy Eddie, Edison, N.J., over a three-year period.
79
manner

81
 Through his lawyers, Mr. Antar has denied allegations in the SEC suit and in civil suits 
5083
span

82
previously filed by shareholders against Mr. Antar and others.
81
elaboration-object-attribute-e

83
 The SEC has alleged 
5085
attribution

84
that Mr. Antar aimed to pump up the company 's stock price through false financial statements
5085
span

85
 in order to sell his stake 
5084
List

86
and reap huge profits.
5084
List

87
 Mr. Antar,
5087
span

88
 the SEC said,
87
attribution-e

89
 made more than $60 million from the sale of his shares between 1985 and 1987.
5088
Same-Unit

90
 The Justice Department has emphasized 
91
attribution

91
that the government's fee-forfeiture power is to be used sparingly.
5089
span

92
 According to department policy,
5092
attribution

93
 prosecutors must make a strong showing 
5091
span

94
that lawyers ' fees came from assets 
5090
span

95
tainted by illegal profits 
94
elaboration-object-attribute-e

96
before any attempts at seizure are made.
5092
span

97
 Still, criminal defense lawyers worry 
5094
attribution

98
that defendants are being deprived of their Sixth Amendment right to counsel and a fair trial
5094
span

99
 if the government can seize lawyers ' fees.
98
condition

100
 They also worry 
5098
attribution

101
that 
5098
Same-Unit

102
if the government applies asset-forfeiture laws broadly, 
5096
condition

103
the best defense lawyers will be unwilling to take criminal cases 
5096
span

104
unless they are assured of being paid.
103
condition

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span
1
elaboration-general-specific-e

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span
5063
Cause-Result

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span
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span

5004
span
5063
Cause-Result

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span
5007
Same-Unit

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span
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Same-Unit

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multinuc
7
circumstance-e

5008
span
5059
span

5009
span
5006
span

5010
span
5012
span

5011
span
5014
span

5012
span
13
elaboration-general-specific

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span
5011
elaboration-additional

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span
15
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5015
span
5017
span

5016
span
5015
span

5017
span
5060
List

5018
span
5008
circumstance

5019
span
5020
span

5020
span
5060
List

5021
span
5019
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5022
span
5023
Same-Unit

5023
multinuc
5027
Contrast

5024
span
5025
Same-Unit

5025
multinuc
5028
span

5026
span
5025
result

5027
multinuc
5029
span

5028
span
5027
Contrast

5029
span
5060
List

5030
span
5035
span

5031
span



5032
span
5027
attribution

5033
span



5034
span
5032
span

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span
36
elaboration-additional-e

5036
span



5037
span
5041
circumstance

5038
span
5064
background

5039
span
5041
Inverted-Sequence

5040
span
5041
Inverted-Sequence

5041
multinuc
5070
span

5042
span
5047
Same-Unit

5043
span
5044
Same-Unit

5044
multinuc
5045
span

5045
span
5046
span

5046
span
5047
Same-Unit

5047
multinuc
5067
span

5048
span
59
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5049
span
5050
Same-Unit

5050
multinuc
58
consequence-s

5051
span
5052
span

5052
span
5053
span

5053
span
5066
Cause-Result

5054
span
5055
Same-Unit

5055
multinuc
5056
span

5056
span
5066
Cause-Result

5057
span



5058
span



5059
span
5061
span

5060
multinuc
5059
consequence-s

5061
span
5111
span

5062
span



5063
multinuc
5113
span

5064
span
5069
span

5065
span



5066
multinuc
5047
reason

5067
span
5110
span

5068
span



5069
span
40
circumstance

5070
span
5109
Sequence

5071
span



5072
span
5074
span

5073
span
5072
span

5074
span
5100
span

5075
span
5077
Contrast

5076
span



5077
multinuc
5078
span

5078
span
5079
span

5079
span
5074
elaboration-additional

5080
span
5105
span

5081
span



5082
span
5103
Sequence

5083
span
5103
Sequence

5084
multinuc
84
purpose

5085
span
5086
span

5086
span
5102
span

5087
span
5088
Same-Unit

5088
multinuc
5086
elaboration-general-specific

5089
span
5106
span

5090
span
93
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5091
span
96
condition

5092
span
5093
span

5093
span
5089
evidence

5094
span
5095
span

5095
span
5108
span

5096
span
5097
span

5097
span
5098
Same-Unit

5098
multinuc
5099
span

5099
span
5095
elaboration-additional

5100
span
5101
List

5101
multinuc
5067
temporal-after

5102
span
5103
elaboration-additional

5103
multinuc
5104
span

5104
span
5080
elaboration-general-specific

5105
span
5111
circumstance

5106
span
5107
Contrast

5107
multinuc
5113
elaboration-additional

5108
span
5107
Contrast

5109
multinuc
5061
elaboration-additional

5110
span
5109
Sequence

5111
span
5112
span

5112
span
5063
example

5113
span
5114
span

5114
span



