Reputed Italian mobster linked to Fla. attorney’s Ponzi scam to plead guilty in US court

Reputed mobster linked to Fla. scam to admit guilt

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A reputed Italian mobster linked to a massive South Florida Ponzi scheme is scheduled to plead guilty in federal court.

The attorney for 41-year-old Roberto Settineri confirmed he will plead guilty to an unspecified charge Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale.

Settineri was arrested in March in a U.S.-Italian sweep of suspected Mafia figures. Authorities say Settineri sought to broker business deals between Italian and U.S. crime families.

Settineri was nabbed after the FBI set up meetings between him and Scott Rothstein, a former attorney who admitted operating a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme. Settineri and two others allegedly agreed to destroy records and launder $10 million for Rothstein.

Rothstein is serving a 50-year sentence.