Mr. Kousouros has achieved outstanding results for his clients in a broad spectrum of criminal matters. The following is a sample of some of those cases – both concluded and ongoing.
SECURED FULL ACQUITTAL IN A SWEEPING WHITE-COLLAR PROSECUTION in the Southern District of New York for criminal copyright infringement. In this federal case, the owner of a toy importing company was accused of importing and selling millions of dollars of copyrighted Nintendo games. The trial involved thousands of pages of documentary evidence and multiple witnesses who testified as to the manner of importation and resale. After the first trial ended in a mistrial, the defendant was fully exonerated at a second trial.
SECURED THE EXONERATION OF A CLIENT IN A LARGE MORTGAGE FRAUD matter in the Eastern District of New York. In this case the client was accused, along with her husband, of obtaining millions of dollars in fraudulent mortgages to purchase several properties. Despite a wealth of documentary evidence and an eight-week trial, a hung jury was declared and the prosecution thereafter declined to retry the client.
REPRESENTED MANY CLIENTS IN THE INVESTIGATORY STAGES OF SECURITIES FRAUD and in prosecutions for insider trading and stock manipulation. These matters normally begin in the investigatory stage and in this regard we have often been able to ward off indictment with timely, aggressive, pro-active representation.
SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED A CLIENT BEING INVESTIGATED FOR COMPLICITY IN A BILLION-DOLLAR TAX FRAUD. Here the client was an employee of a firm which was alleged to have used questionable interpretations of tax code provisions to shelter gains. The firm was accused of purchasing stock in multiple companies and selling it at a loss in order to offset gains from the sale of tangible assets. After a one and one-half year long investigation, Mr. Kousouros convinced investigators that no charges were warranted.
SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED A TEXAS CLIENT SUSPECTED OF STOCK MANIPULATION in the Eastern District of New York. The client was not indicted.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING A SINGAPORE NATIONAL IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COUNTERFEIT goods conspiracy in the Southern District of New York.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING A CLIENT ACCUSED OF 14 MILLION-DOLLAR FRAUD in the Eastern District of New York. In this case, the client is accused of operating an underground liquor distribution business in which he allegedly purchased liquor from a distributor in cash and facilitated the failure to report these sales in order to hide the transactions.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR METAL SCRAP COMPANY concerning alleged monetary irregularities in the purchase of retail scrap metal.
SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED A PHARMACIST ACCUSED OF UNLAWFUL PRESCRIPTION NARCOTICS DISTRIBUTION by securing a disposition which allowed the client to return to his profession. This was made possible by our efforts to achieve a significant downward departure at sentencing. These efforts required an extensive and incisive investigation into the client’s life and circumstances and required that those corroborated results be presented to the court in as persuasive a manner as possible.
SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED A PHYSICIAN ACCUSED OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID FRAUD, avoiding permanent license suspension and allowing her to resume her practice of medicine. In this case, a physician was accused of improper billing of Medicare and Medicaid. Not only were we confronted with a criminal prosecution, but licensing and civil proceedings were also instituted. Over the course of two years all matters were resolved in a manner which enabled our client to resume her practice.
SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED ONE OF MORE THAN THIRTY PHARMACISTS CHARGED IN A SWEEPING FEDERAL INDICTMENT alleging fraud in the New York area by securing a disposition which enabled the client to resume his pharmaceutical career.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING PHARMACIST EMPLOYEE IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ACCUSED OF FRAUD AND paying kickbacks to customers in return for their use of his employer’s pharmacy for high paying pharmaceuticals.
TRAGIC HEADLINE PRODUCING CASE of a court reporter - who said she heard voices commanding her to act - charged with intentionally running over and killing a woman who was walking her dog in White Plains, New York. Interposing a mental disease defense, Mr. Kousouros secured dismissal of the intentional crimes. However, as the Appellate Division revised the decision, he is currently preparing for trial. Read Article (pdf).
CLIENT ACQUITTED OF THE MURDER OF THE SON OF AN ALLEGED MAFIA BOSS in this highly publicized case. Mr. Kousouros successfully interposed a claim of self-defense, despite evidence that the victim suffered gunshot wounds in his back.
SECURED ACQUITTAL ON TOP MURDER CHARGES IN THE HIGHLY PUBLICIZED SCORES MURDER trial. After a two-year long search for the defendants - during which investigators tracked them to and from several countries and back to the Bronx - the case was finally brought to trial in New York County.
SECURED ACQUITTAL FOR BRONX MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER, DESPITE DETAILED SIGNED CONFESSION, based on defense that client was dyslexic and could not have written or understood confession. Here again, investigation and client interaction was crucial to a successful defense.
OBTAINED ACQUITTAL ON HOMICIDE AND SEPARATE ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE IN BROOKLYN. In this complicated murder trial involving charges of murder and attempted murder, the defense successfully interposed a self defense claim to the attempted murder while proving that another unindicted man fired the weapon that caused the death of the murder victim.
IN THIS MURDER CASE, WHICH INVOLVED THE KILLING OF AN INNOCENT VICTIM during a gun battle at the Redfern housing project in Queens, Mr. Kousouros was able to demonstrate that his client did not fire the fatal shots and that he was instead firing in self-defense. As such, the client was permitted to plead guilty to gun possession, the only crime of which he was guilty. Read Article (pdf).
SECURED AN ACQUITTAL FOR A MAN ACCUSED OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE in Queens. In this highly publicized and emotionally charged case, the client was accused of driving recklessly and causing the death of two young children. Even after the police had concluded that no criminal activity was involved, the DA bowed to pressure and indicted the client for murder. This trial was perhaps the most challenging of Mr. Kousouros' career because of the emotional impact of the tragic deaths of the two children. Despite scarce evidence of criminality, the testimony of the mothers was emotionally overwhelming for all those in the courtroom. Indeed, tears were shed by all who empathized with the mothers and all who considered the safety of their own children. Justice prevailed, however, and the client was acquitted. Read Article (pdf).
REPRESENTED ALLEGED LEADER OF ALBANIAN SYNDICATE. Mr. Kousouros was lead counsel in this three-month six-defendant trial. While the defendant was convicted on certain racketeering charges, he was acquitted of the attempted murder of a rival. Read Article (pdf).
Read Article (pdf).
REPRESENTED ALLEGED BOSS OF THE BONANNO CRIME FAMILY in a four week trial in the Eastern District of New York. Read Article (pdf). Read Article (pdf).
REPRESENTED AN ALLEGED MEMBER OF ORGANIZED CRIME in the Southern District of Florida accused of crimes ranging from commercial burglary to murder.
REPRESENTED DOZENS OF DEFENDANTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ON FEDERAL NARCOTICS RACKETEERING CHARGES.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING A CLIENT ACCUSED OF BRIBERY involving the awarding of school bus contracts in New York State
SECURED THE ACQUITTAL AND EXONERATION OF SEVERAL DEFENDANTS ACCUSED OF BRIBING ARRESTING OFFICERS in an effort to have their charges dismissed. Most of these cases involve recordings of precinct conversations in which it is alleged that the defendant is overheard offering remuneration to the police in return for their freedom.
SECURED ACQUITTAL FOR A BRONX GRAND JURY CLERK ACCUSED OF PROVIDING CONFIDENTIAL WITNESS INFORMATION to an attorney representing a violent Bronx narcotics organization. In this highly publicized case in which one attorney was convicted for having joined his client’s criminal enterprise, the government alleged that our client was paid to provide confidential information concerning a grand jury witness who testified regarding a homicide against this gang. After a three-week trial, the client was fully exonerated.
As with many criminal defense attorneys, we represent a wide variety of alleged narcotics offenders in the state and federal courts. These cases range from low-level transactions to major distribution conspiracies and racketeering enterprises.
SECURED A NON JAIL PLEA FOR A CLIENT IN THE MARIJUANA "CARTOON NETWORK" CONSPIRACY in the Eastern District of New York.
REPRESENTED A MAJOR FIGURE IN THE "BLUE THUNDER" HEROIN DISTRIBUTION CASE in the Southern District of New York.
SECURED A NON JAIL PLEA FOR A CLIENT ACCUSED OF TRANSPORTING A LARGE QUANTITY OF MARIJUANA FROM FLORIDA TO NEW YORK. In this case, the client was arrested in Eukon, Maryland. After he was released on bail, we were able to secure this disposition, over the objection of the prosecutors.
REPRESENTED MAJOR NARCOTICS FIGURES IN THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO. In one case, we represented perhaps the most notorious trafficker in Puerto Rico who was accused of a violent narcotics related shooting. After being convicted of gun possession, he hired Mr. Kousouros for his sentencing and appeal in the federal court in the District of Puerto Rico. The sentencing procedure became a mini trial on issues of drug trafficking and other alleged violence as the government attempted to secure a fifteen-year sentence rather than the four-year sentence called for by the sentencing guidelines. After eight months of litigation and hundreds of pages of briefs, the defendant was sentenced to 44 months in prison.
REPRESENTED A MAJOR HEROIN TRAFFICKER IN PUERTO RICO. The case charged a global narcotics conspiracy and defendants as far off as Hong Kong and Peru.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING A CLIENT ACCUSED OF MAJOR NARCOTICS DISTRIBUTION IN THE DISTRICT OF BALTIMORE. Given the overwhelming evidence of guilt in this matter, our challenge in this case has less to do with guilt or innocence and more to do with persuading the court that this particular young man, despite his mistakes, deserves its mercy because of the tragic circumstances of his life. The sentence range this client faces is from life to one short enough that it will give this lost, but otherwise potentially productive, 19 year old the opportunity to live a law abiding and successful life.
REPRESENTED EMPLOYEE OF MANHATTAN CLUB ACCUSED OF SELLING DRUGS TO PATRONS. Read Article (pdf).
SECURED MISDEMEANOR PLEA IN HEADLINE CASE CHARGING CLIENT AND OTHERS OF FIRING SEVERAL SHOTS AT THE HOME OF A SITTING QUEENS COUNTY JUDGE. In this case, law enforcement immediately focused on the judge and any defendants whose cases he presided over or prosecuted as a former high profile prosecutor. Extensive and aggressive investigation landed the police at our client's doorstep. After intense negotiations and investigation, we were able to demonstrate, without question, that the judge was not the intended target and that our client was not responsible for the incident.
SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED TEENS ACCUSED OF FELONY RECKLESS DRIVING on the Long Island Expressway in Nassau County. The case drew significant media attention as the District Attorney of Nassau County gave a televised interview indicating that those arrested for the 100+ mph drag racing would serve several years in jail. After months of negotiation, Mr. Kousouros successfully demonstrated the harshness of a felony disposition and secured misdemeanor pleas with probation. Read Article (pdf).
SECURED ACQUITTAL ON FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT CHARGES FOR SON OF REPUTED CRIME BOSS in this trial covered by local newspapers.
SECURED ACQUITTAL ON CHARGES OF AIDING AND ABETTING CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS and filing a false statement for a Lieutenant at the Metropolitan Detention Center in a federal case covered by television and newspaper media. After a four-week trial, the client was acquitted of all charges save for the obstruction of justice.
SECURED ACQUITTAL OF POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH RAPE IN THE BRONX. After the first trial ended in a mistrial, the client was acquitted and restored to duty.
SECURED VICTORIES IN THE APPELLATE DIVISION, FOURTH DEPARTMENT AND THEN THE NEW YORK STATE COURT OF APPEALS WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISMISSAL OF CHARGES OF POSSESSION OF TWO KILOS OF COCAINE against Mr. Kousouros' client. In the ensuing years, this case, People v Manini, has been cited often by defense lawyers and appellate courts alike as it clarified the reach of the important legal doctrines of constructive possession and acting in concert in a manner more favorable to the defense bar. Read Court Opinion (pdf).
SECURED THE REVERSAL OF A NARCOTICS CONVICTION IN THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT OF PUERTO RICO resulting in the client's fourteen-year sentence being reduced to three years. Read Court Opinion (pdf).
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING A CLIENT ON APPEAL OF A CONVICTION IN A HIGH PROFILE CASE of murder and mistaken identity. The woman was convicted of hiring her boyfriend and another man to murder her ex-husband, and, because the alleged plan went awry, of the murder of her husband's best friend. This case was the subject of an investigative program for television, "On the Case with Paula Zahn", in which Mr. Kousouros was interviewed.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING THE SON OF A MAJOR FIGURE IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILLIPINES, who is accused, along with his son, of the crimes of plunder and perjury. After months of litigation, Mr. Kousouros successfully secured his client's release pending the completion of the extradition proceedings.
CURRENTLY REPRESENTING AN ISRAELI CITIZEN IN CANADA WHO WAS INDICTED IN QUEENS COUNTY. The United States request for his extradition was granted and is currently on appeal in Canada. Mr. Kousouros is working with the immigration lawyer while preparing the defense of the Queens County criminal charges should the client be extradited.