On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, NBC New York reported that a former prosecutor from Orange County, New York died in an apparent confrontation with the FBI.
Stewart Rosenwasser, once the chief counsel and executive assistant district attorney for Orange County, was accused in a recently unsealed federal indictment of accepting thousands in bribe payments from a millionaire former restaurant owner. The charges included bribery, conspiracy, extortion, making false statements, and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. He had abruptly resigned from his position in June.
FBI agents arrived at Rosenwasser’s home in Campbell Hall to arrest him on the indictment. In response, sources say that Rosenwasser pointed a gun at agents, and the FBI fired at least one shot. He then barricaded himself inside. Rosenwasser apparently then took his own life as the confrontation continued.
The indictment alleged Rosenwasser used his authority to initiate a criminal investigation at the restaurant owner’s request, in exchange for over $63,000 in bribe money.
Orange County District Attorney Dave Hoovler called Rosenwasser’s death “heartbreaking” in a statement and offered condolences to his family, but declined further comment while the federal investigation is still ongoing.
Source: NBC New York
