Solomon Dwek Claims Mental Illness

The man who swindled at least $50 million from New Jersey banks and whose work as as an FBI cooperating witness will send dozens of people to prison now claims that he is mentally ill. Dwek is due to be sentenced for his bank fraud on October 18.

Solomon Dwek mug shot

The Star-Ledger reports:

…In a federal court filing that included a clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder and chronic high anxiety — as well as letters of support from Dwek’s family and friends —attorneys for the former real estate investor are looking to minimize the prison term he faces for bank fraud under the terms of a plea deal with the government.

Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Dwek’s attorney declined comment on the defense motion. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Dwek is currently facing a prison term of nine-to-11 years.…

The 94-page filing by Dwek’s attorney, Charles Uliano of West Long Branch, filed late Friday, said Dwek had a history of serious mental disorders. Jerome Rubin, a clinical psychologist retained by Dwek’s defense attorneys, concluded that he suffered from multiple mental illnesses, with a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

"Before incarceration, his bipolar condition was characterized as having a very high energy output, mental excitement, racing thoughts, irritability, illusory thinking, efforts to engage in multiple activities at the same time, poor insight and inability to foresee consequences," Rubin wrote. "In my professional opinion, his criminal behavior was related to his chronic mental disorders."

He said Dwek had problems with high anxiety, struggling "with the rigor and intensity of his religious training, and turned to real estate as an escape.

"He began getting into the next business deal without regard to real estate costs, problems of development, rehabilitation, financing and sales," said Rubin. "For Mr. Dwek, buying and selling became the main source of psychological reward for him.”…

[Hat Tip: Mark from Short Hills.]

Comments

[moshe]

This piece of Dwek needs to go to jail for a long time.

[Rebitzman]

Guessing it will be between 9 and 11 years.

Just like the guidelines say.......

[dh]

Did it say what Mr Dwek is dwoing about his dwiagnosis, other than using it to fund a psychologist?

[Blima]

now claims that he is mentally ill.

Let's hope that he gets at least 27 years in prison. What a piece of dreck.

[spacedout BT]

Punish him by giving him only "JW" type Ashkenaz food at Otisville

[Blima]

What am I talking about. He swindled twice what SMR did so he should get at least 50 years!

[Rebitzman]

Different crime, Blima - different guidelines.

[Shmarya]

What am I talking about. He swindled twice what SMR did so he should get at least 50 years!

Posted by: Blima | October 09, 2012 at 09:41 PM

Please.

Stop trolling or I'll ban you again.

Now process:

1. Dwek did NOT head a conspiracy, so there is no conspiracy enhancement. Rubashkin headed a conspiracy and has a conspiracy enhancement.

2. Dwek did not launder money as part of his bank fraud. Rubashkin did launder money as part of his bank fraud.

3. Dwek pleaded guilty and cooperated. Rubashkin did neither.

4. Sentences are primarily calculated based on loss to the lenders. Dwek stole more but the net loss was less in his case.

5. All of that clearly means Dwek's sentence under the guidelines will be much less than Rubashkin's.

Of course "Blima" the troll doesn't care about facts anymore than s/he cares about truth or honesty.

[seymour]

blima

he is not being sentenced for being mossur.

I wonder do you think the other frumm people involved with dweck, should they serve prison time?

[TheRealJoe]

I wonder if these friends and family wrote those letter's before he became a cooperating witness?

If the court accepts his mental illness will a lot of the people convicted by his testimony get out or at least re trials?

[dh]

Finding mental illness before sentencing is like finding Gd after sentencing.

Having already found their own empty chair, people like Rubashkin have one less fish to fry but one more guest at the table... the likes of Lewin.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Orthodox Judaism is sure proof of mental illness. He should be set free.

[Isa]

Sarcastically

The bigger crime is that...
He shaved his beard!!!

[No_Light]

If he was suffering from unmedicated bipolar disorder then it really would explain his outlandish behaviour.

I'm sure WSC. will agree with me, that during manic episodes sufferers can feel almost godlike, as if they're immortal and can do anything.

I hope he can get decent care for his problem in prison. I wish the frumma would. accept that mental illness is not a personal failing, or a reason to shun someone.

[WoolSilkCotton]

As mentioned by DH above, all criminals awaiting sentencing Claim to have some form of mental illness. All criminals in prison proclaim their innocence. All criminals with long sentences or who are up for parole say they have found Jesus, Mohammed, or Menachem M. Schneerson.

No Light, I believe that the legal standard is whether someone has the capacity to distinguish right from wrong, regardless of one's ongoing mental illness. It's not easy convincing a judge that you are at that level.

[No_Light]

Oh WSC I think you've misunderstood me. I'm not saying he was unaware of the illegality of his deeds, or that he should escape punishment.

Merely stating that, fuelled by mania, he would have believed that he was impervious to justice, that he was such a criminal genius that nobody would ever figure out that it was him. You've no doubt dealt with manic patients too. Their sense of immortality is exhausting.

Depending on whether he's been diagnosed with BP I or II, the disorder combined with his intense Toyreh study, could have led. him to believe that God himself was looking out for him.

The longer it went on, the more confident he would have been.

But no, he doesn't deserve any less punishment, unless it can be retroactively proven (and it can't be done) that at the time of the offences he was in a psychotic state induced by BP II w/ psychotic features. As that can only be determined if someone undergoes assessment at that time, then he's shit out of luck!

[jancsibacsi]

WoolSilkCotton-I would say ultra orthodox is a sign of mental illness,on the other hand he grew up with theese mental copouts so he should be given leniency.

[WoolSilkCotton]

No Light, I would guess that his attorney, trying to plead with the judge for a lighter sentence, might bring up such psychological issues.

[dh]

Jails and prisons are housing for people with mental illness. No treatment is provided. Mental Health court sounds good but it only has the capacity to deal with mild cases usually not involving violence or sex abuse. So the offenders who need mental health services the most are not eligible or mental health court kicks out the people with mental illness.

This keeps moderately capable throngs of "social workers " employed doing, essentially, work that really isn't necesssary for people that need it least and keeps the rest of us securely in place to continue being victimized, while capable consummate social workers and physicians have no means to make an impact.

Mental illness does not in and of itself equal incompetency to stand trial or inability to understand the difference between right and wrong.

We are primitive in our acceptance, treatment and understanding of both crime and mental illness. Still, it is not the same as weakness. Given that, cults rely heavily on one or the other or both.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

I like them French fried potaters. — Karl Childers

[dh]

Indeed

[put a square into a hole]

THe only diffrence between this piece of DWECK and SMR is

1) FM has issues with the rubashkins

2) the piece of dweck didn't steal any money from the GOVERNMENT

period

Shmarya

if you wouln't be so bias against SMR you would agree with me

[Shmarya]

No. You'd also have be literate, smart and correct (or a good mix of the three).

Unfortunately for you, you aren't any of those things.

[dd]

yeah, right! mentally ill ?
saying that to avoid jail? then , he will get worst : the psychatric ward of the state jail system where he is gonna be drugged like creazy , unable to be himself anymore , and then , yes , he will turn mentally ill thru drugs.

[dh]

dd, do you smell burnt toast?

[Barry]

However distasteful it seems, it is in the interests of justice to discount sentences of co-operating witnesses.

The FBI is working on a radio mike which is the not much larger than a flea and not much heavier, which can be projected into a rabbi's beard from 10 yards by means of a blowpipe which will make the services of people like Dwek unnecessary.