Hartford Lawyer Enters Guilty Plea for Money Laundering Scheme

HARTFORD, CT — An area lawyer on Friday admitted to being involved in a seven-figure money laundering scheme commonly referred to a "pump and dump," a leading prosecutor said.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced on Friday that Corey Brinson, 36, of Hartford, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a money laundering charge stemming from his involvement in a securities fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from about October 2010 and July 2016, Brisnon, a licensed lawyer, served as the nominal “securities counsel” for several companies whose securities were marketed and sold to the investing public by Christian Meissenn and Meissenn’s business associates in a stock “pump and dump” scheme.

Daly said Meissenn and his associates induced investors to purchase securities by making false and misleading representations about the securities and the issuing companies, thereby causing the price of those securities to become falsely inflated.

After selling their own shares at a profit, the scheme’s participants allowed the price of the securities to fall, leaving investors with worthless and unsalable stock, she said.

As a result, victim investors lost millions of dollars, according to court documents.

As part of the scheme, Brinson, who did not have any experience with securities and securities markets, signed, or permitted others to affix his signature to, false and misleading attorney opinion letters that were designed to provide assurances to securities transfer agents and prospective investors, Daly said.

Among other things, the opinion letters falsely certified that Brinson, as a lawyer, had adequately reviewed corporate records and filings and was satisfied with the adequacy of the companies’ public disclosures, Daly said.

The opinion letters were then provided to securities transfer agents and prospective investors, according to court documents.

Brinson also received deposits of millions of dollars in proceeds of securities transactions into his Interest on Lawyer Trust Account or IOLTA, according to Daly.

Rather than use the proceeds to purchase securities and fund operations at the underlying companies, Meissenn and others directed Bronson to distribute nearly all the money to what proved to be relatives, associates and shell companies associated with Meissenn and his associates, Daly said.

Brinson knew that about $3 million that passed through his IOLTA were proceeds of the illegal securities scheme, Daly said.

In exchange for providing his services, Brinson received approximately 5 percent of the proceeds that passed through his IOLTA, Daly said.

In addition, Brinson also received payment for preparing the false opinion letters.

As a result of these activities, Brinson's personal gain was about $200,000, Daly said.

Bronson pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, Daly said.

Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for April 14.

Brinson surrendered his law license in November, Daly said.

On November 8, 2016, Meissenn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. He is awaiting sentencing.

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