Earl O'Garro Files Grievance Complaint Against Attorney Andrew Crumbie
- Earl O'Garro
- Sep 1, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 17, 2021
**Here is a copy of the press release that was sent in May 2017 along with a copy of the complaint that was filed**
HARTFORD -- On May 12, 2017, Earl O'Garro, Jr., ex-President and Chief Executive Officer of Hybrid Insurance Group, who was convicted of wire and mail fraud, after a one week jury trial in December 2015, relating to misappropriated funds from the City of Hartford, filed a motion in federal court in Hartford for bond pending appeal. O'Garro alleges in his filings that city lawyer, Andrew Crumbie, was working both as government informant as well as counsel for O'Garro, pre-trial. O'Garro contends, under penalty of perjury, that Crumbie was sharing defense strategies with the government, as well as providing information to the government on matters O'Garro did not want to cooperate with the government in regards to. Namely, ongoing public corruption investigations in City Hall. O'Garro alleges in his filings which are currently uncontested by the government, that on multiple occasions the government, through ex-AUSA Christopher Mattei, asked O'Garro to cooperate on pending investigations. O'Garro alleges that Crumbie facilitated the meetings between O'Garro and the government, but O'Garro did not trust Mattei and as a result elected not to cooperate. O'Garro further alleges that prior to sentencing, while leaving federal court in Hartford, that staff of the court house pulled him aside and advised him that Crumbie recently had proceedings in the same courthouse. This staff member went on to add that Crumbie was under investigation by federal law enforcement while representing O'Garro. O'Garro asserts that he notified his trial counsel, Deirdre Murray, and Tracy Hayes. Murray reached out to AUSA Michael Gustafson who did not provide an affirmative response. O'Garro now contends that the court records need to be amended to include his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel and due process violations. In other proceedings in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, O'Garro raises the same issues through a motion for remand, which is currently pending in that Court. In filings submitted by the government to the Second Circuit, in sum the government does not address the claims raised by O'Garro but argues that O'Garro should raise that issue at a subsequent legal proceeding, not during his direct appeal.
On June 21, 2017, Crumbie, discovering the public filings made by O'Garro in the federal court, sent a scathing email to O'Garro's appellate counsel, Tina Schneider, from the Law Offices of Tina Schneider in Portland, ME, stating in sum that he did not represent O'Garro ever in the criminal matters dating back to 2013, and Crumbie stated that he was never under investigation by "any government or law enforcement". Crumbie's claims directly contradict emails Crumbie himself forwarded in September 2016 to O'Garro's appellate counsel. One email in particular, dated May 15, 2014 from ex-AUSA Christopher Mattei, evinces conversation where Mattei is negotiating plea terms with Crumbie. Two weeks later, a May 28, 2014 email from Crumbie to Mattei shows Crumbie saying "at this junction, I will likely pull out of the representation", in response to a conversation that he alleges he had with O'Garro relating to legal fees. O'Garro asserts, that Crumbie created this false issue with legal fees once Crumbie was advised that O'Garro was unwilling to accept a plea agreement and preferred to go to trial. Mattei then asks Crumbie, in the same email thread dated May 28, 2014, whether Crumbie could "at least get [O'Garro] through the plea", Crumbie responds in short that he may be able to do that.
Filings made to the statewide grievance board, by O'Garro, allege that Crumbie had purposefully mislead an officer of the court for purposes of concealing his dual role as both government informant and attorney, also include a copy of the plea agreement offered to O'Garro in May 2014, by the government, and through O'Garro's representative, Andrew Crumbie. On the initial page of the agreement it clearly shows the client as O'Garro and his counsel as Crumbie Law Group which contradicts the statements made by Crumbie to O'Garro's appellate counsel on June 21, 2017. The same filings made to the grievance board also references emails turned over by Crumbie, after the May 28, 2014 email where Crumbie states that he will have to pull out of his representation--these emails are between Mattei, Crumbie and FBI Special Agent Daniel O'Brien--Mattei is trying to set a conference call between the three. Interestingly, Crumbie turned these July 2014 emails over to O'Garro's appellate counsel after she requested all correspondence that Crumbie had in his possession, between him and the government relating to O'Garro. Initial review of the July emails show no reference to O'Garro, the prior May emails referenced O'Garro in the subject line of each email, the July emails did not include any reference to O'Garro, yet Crumbie provided them when asked to turn over all correspondence related to O'Garro. It is not immediately clear based on the email exchanges obtained why, Crumbie, who stated that he will have to end his representation in May of 2014, is coordinating a conference call with the AUSA and FBI.
Judge Thompson has ordered the government to respond to O'Garro's motion for bond by July 14 and O'Garro must respond to the government's submission by July 21st. O'Garro is requesting a hearing date on or before July 31.
Comentários