In October of 2006, I met with Richard C. Daubenberger at Musi, Malone & Daubenberger L.L.P because of his confident ability and promising statements to get a mattered rectified from 4 years prior when I was 20 years old, daytrading in the Foreign Currency Exchange Market. At age 24, Delaware came and arrested me on 96 charges of Securities Fraud because the Federal Government denied taking the case, as they felt they didnt have one. This was all started by an investor who lived in Delaware County and had multi-generational roots in Delaware County.
After Richard looked over my evidence and heard my story, he stated for $10,000(without trial) or $20,000(with trial), that he could clear this up and "not to lose a night of sleep". He got a check the following day and I didn't hear from him again until November 2006; he had received the discovery from the securities attorney (Brad Rodos) that I hired years prior to set up my investment firm and form my securities contacts.
When he called me he stated "you were telling the truth". He followed up with stating "we are going to hit this one out of the park however it is his legal duty to tell me that the DA was offering me 3.5-7 yrs". I asked him what he thought about this and he replied "I think you should tell him to shove it up his ..." so I told him to relay that information.
The next time I heard from Rich was the approx end of December 2006-beginning of January 2007. He called me and told me that I needed to come in. I didn't think anything of it so my wife and I drove to his office. He sat us both down and stated that I needed to take the deal. I was in complete shock because I was innocent and he wanted $10k to prove so.
He told me that he could get "90% of the charges thrown out but if convicted on just a few charges I would do more time than the deal was offering". He continued with "as your attorney I am telling you to take this deal. The deal expires tomorrow but the DA Greg Hurchella is leaving today when on vacation when court closes so we need to get over there". I had less than two hours to think and make a life changing decision.
He continued to say I'll "go to boot camp on a recommendation and come out before Thanksgiving in the best shape of my life". He said when I got out I would have "a little parole and a couple years probation to walk off". He stated that my $100k restitution would turn into a civil judgment and I could move on with my life and be a free man again.
I had absolutely no time to think but after listening to Rich tell me that in just a couple years of boot camp and probation I'd be a free man again, it sounded like the better option. Why didn't he tell me this a week prior but instead tells me hours before I have to make a life changing decision?
I took the deal, went to boot camp, followed up with parole and successfully did my probation. I remember in February 2012 that my probation was about to expire and how excited I was that I made it through this journey. This is when the phone call came from Delaware County telling me that I had to come up to the courthouse for a gag non-one hearing because I was being violated. They told me that I owed approx $90k in restitution and I would continue to be violated every two years for the rest of my life until this was paid.
I told them that this was a mistake. I told them that my attorney, Richard Daubenberger stated that once I completed my sentence that my restitution was going to turn into a civil judgment and I could move on with me life or I never would of taken the deal. They told me I should call my attorney so I got right on the phone and called Rich.
I told Rich what was going on and I said that they were violating me because I owed restitution. There was a silence like nothing was wrong. I said that the restitution was supposed to turn into a civil judgment so I could be a free man and move on with my life like he promised and he had the get this fixed. Richard laughed at me over the phone and said "that's not how it works buddy, you have to pay that money".
My heart dropped and I was speechless, I didn't know what to say and I hung up the phone. Richard was always a younger and pompous but I just realized how years had passed and nobody would believe me. Who would pay $10,000 to take a lifetime deal on probation? That $10,000 would be much better spent going towards the restitution then being on probation the rest of your life.
I'm 33 years old and I have a nine-year-old daughter. I live right on the border of New Jersey, however I cannot cross that border to get cheaper gas or go food shopping because of my probation. Nor can I visit family that I have out-of-state or even go to the shore with my daughter because I'm on probation and they will not grant a travel pass unless it's for health or employment reasons. My daughter hasn't seen some of her family since she was born because we can't travel
Richard Daubenberger straight out lied to me. He took my money & he made me promises and completely mislead me. He led me on and gave me peace then with two hours notice contradicts everything that he ever told me. He never had my best interest at heart because we could of won. I was registered with SEC and PA CFTC. I was daytrading and he had all my records, not running a ponsy scam as alleged. The records are real. This man is evil and its funny how this is the first report on this site from this law firm.
Attached is a photo of recent email correspondence. You can see Richard is threatening to press criminal charges against me if I contact him ever again. I have never once threatened him, I've only ever stated the truth.
Also attached is an AVVO review that I wrote about him in 2014