Posted on: February 17, 2025 03:30 PM

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Criminal defense attorney indicted for bribery scheme

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging DAVID MACEY, a criminal defense attorney based in Florida, with bribery of a public official, conspiracy to bribe a public official, honest services wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, for a scheme in which MACEY paid tens of thousands of dollars to a senior Special Agent (“Agent-1”) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), in exchange for Agent-1 providing sensitive law enforcement information to MACEY to assist MACEY in recruiting and representing clients.  MACEY will be presented before Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron later today.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Reardon.

 

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said:  “As alleged, David Macey provided secret payments to a senior DEA special agent in exchange for access to sensitive information that Macey could use to enrich himself, including information regarding sealed indictments and impending arrests.  This prosecution underscores this Office’s commitment to combatting bribery – especially bribery that compromises law enforcement’s duty to protect and serve the public.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “David Macey, a criminal defense attorney, allegedly bribed a senior federal agent with tens of thousands of dollars for confidential information from law enforcement databases. Macey allegedly breached an expectation of privacy and received unlawful advantageous details to unjustly benefit his practice. The FBI will never tolerate those who engage in corrupt practices with public officials and cheat the investigative nature of our criminal justice system.”

According to the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

MACEY, 54, of Coral Gables, Florida, and PAGAN, 52, of Miami, Florida, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, and one count of receiving or paying a bribe, respectively, which carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison. MACEY and PAGAN are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which counts carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.  PAGAN is also charged with four counts of perjury in connection with false testimony that he provided in a related criminal trial in November 2023.  The charges against PAGAN were unsealed in November 2024.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, and thanked the DEA’s Office of Professional Responsibility for its support in this matter.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger and Mat Andrews are in charge of the prosecution.

From DOJ