In 2002, Warren Kremin lost a third-generation family fish dealership, $1 million in legal fees and fines, and a business partner after being hit with what he says were fabricated charges of failing to file proper fish-purchase reports in 1999.
His private practice lawyer, a former top fisheries lawyer, advised him not to fight the case, Kremin said. “He said, ‘You cannot win. You will lose. It’s a fix.’ ”
On Thursday, investigators for the U.S. Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General released the latest in aseries of reports finding fisheries lawyers and enforcement officers abused their power in prosecuting fishermen and dealers like Kremin, who lives in Rockland County. Among the most recent charges were cases of excessive fines and prosecutions that all but mandated costly settlements.
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