Case Results

Attorneys S. Michael Musa-Obregon, Karl Ashanti, and Sami El Cherif made history on February 8th, 2024, by obtaining the largest jury verdict in New York State for a child victim of sexual abuse under the NY Child Victims Act. They secured $160 million in compensatory and punitive damages against a New York City high school teacher in the case of Jane Doe v. New York City Board of Education and Mark Waltzer.

Despite the attorneys for the NYC Department of Education arguing in a motion that the Department of Education should be dismissed from the case, Musa-Obregon created new case law under the Child Victims Act by defeating the City’s motion. The decision was favorable not only for our client but also for future plaintiffs in other cases. By prevailing against the city's summary judgment motion, Musa-Obregon ultimately positioned the case for a very favorable settlement with the City, less than a week before trial.

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After skillful cross–examination by Mr. Musa-Obregon of four different alleged prostitute victims, the charges of human trafficking, rape, sodomy, forced prostitution and conspiracy against Mexican man accused of running an international prostitution ring for smuggling underage woman into the U.S., are dismissed by federal prosecutors. Judge Dearie, Brooklyn Federal Court, USA v. D.

After an aggressive mitigation strategy by Mr. Musa-Obregon, received probation after allegedly embezzling more than $100,000.00 from a medical services company. Justice Soloff, Manhattan Supreme Court, People v. J.

Accused of practicing dentistry without a license in an established clinic in Jackson Heights, Queens receives misdemeanor probation after Mr. Musa-Obregon's negotiations. Justice Blumenfeld, Queens Criminal Court, People v. M.

Mr. Musa-Obregon successfully defended a falsely accused Queens serial rape suspect in a line-up during 2008 "Rape Wave" in Southern Queens, 112th Precinct, NYPD Sex Crime Unit, Serial rape investigation terminated.

Mr. Musa-Obregon negotiated plea deal of "time served" (one year) for allegedly participating in Forty Million Dollar ($40,000,000.00) Latin American money laundering scheme involving illegal online pharmaceutical companies, Judge Block, Brooklyn Federal Court, USA v. B.

Received a plea deal where she only served three months in indictment charging money laundering through her business more than Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000) in Colombian narcotics-related black market peso trade practices. Judge Lynch, Manhattan Federal Court USA. v. D.

After negotiations by Mr. Musa-Obregon, served four months in plea deal after allegedly embezzling $400,000.00 in an elaborate Ponzi scheme from investment clients. Justice Adler, Manhattan Supreme Court, People v. A.

After the jury trial conducted by Mr. Musa-Obregon, a West Indian man was acquitted after a two week jury trial of twenty four crimes in an attempted murder Indictment for allegedly repeatedly shooting estranged wife in the abdomen, leaving her to die. Convicted of only one minor misdemeanor and immediately released from prison. Justice Leventhal, Brooklyn Supreme Court. People. v. M.

After seven day jury trial by Mr. Musa-Obregon of undocumented young man accused of gang-related first degree robbery in Jackson Heights. Queens. Justice Sampson, Queens Supreme Court, People v. H. Because he was found not guilty of all charges after a jury trial, he is now free to pursue legal permanent residency in the U.S.

After jury trial defended by Mr. Musa-Obregon, a Brooklyn man with a predicate felony record (also charged in multimillion dollar jewelry heist in federal court), was acquitted of all violent felony robbery charges. Convicted of misdemeanor petty larceny and received time served sentence. Justice Lewis, Queens Supreme Court, People v. R.

Accused of having repeated sexual intercourse with a fifteen year old female student, after negations by Mr. Musa-Obregon, receives a misdemeanor conditional discharge plea bargain. This avoided a damaging public trial, a sex conviction, a jail sentence, probation and mandatory "Megan's Law's" child sexual predator reporting requirements. Judge Mullings, Queens Criminal Court, People v. N.

After Mr. Musa-Obregon's negotiations, receives probation and avoids five year mandatory minimum jail sentence after FBI executed search warrant on his computer and finds hundreds of images of child pornography. Judge states on the record that it is only time in her judicial career that she has ever not sentenced a child pornography defendant to the five year mandatory jail sentence. Judge Townes, Brooklyn Federal Court, USA v. G.

After successful negotiation by Mr. Musa-Obregon, individual responsible for trafficking 2500 kilos of cocaine into the U.S. receives a sentence where he would only serve 30 months in jail in an international federal indictment where nineteen people were arrested in four countries for bringing in "boat size" narcotics cargo into the U.S. Judge Raggi, Brooklyn Federal Court, USA v. W.

Boston woman who transported thirteen pounds of cocaine in her luggage through airport after vacationing in Guatemala released on bail and eventually only served an eighteen months jail sentence, despite having had 17 prior arrests and 3 felony convictions. Judge Amon, Brooklyn Federal Court. USA v. G.

Indicted for public corruption for allegedly masterminding the sale of hundreds of green cards in massive New York City probe where thirty persons are indicted, receives a plea deal after Mr. Musa-Obregon's negotiations, where he would serve only eighteen months. Judge Kenna, Manhattan Federal Court, USA v. C.

Mr. Musa-Obregon successfully negotiated a "disorderly persons" plea bargain (no criminal conviction record) for a New York businessman accused of participating in casino gambling fraud against an Atlantic City casino in a conspiracy indictment for collectively allegedly stealing $500,000. Justice Donio, NJ Superior Court, Atlantic County, pro hac vice status granted, NJ v. N.

After Mr. Musa-Obregon presents exculpatory evidence to a panel of assistant district attorneys, murder charges are dismissed for a Colombian transvestite male prostitute charged with murdering a competitor prostitute in Jackson Heights. Client is immediately released. Justice Chin-Brandt, Queens Criminal Court, People v. L.

After a jury trial conducted by Mr. Musa-Obregon, undocumented immigrant Mexican laborer acquitted of attempted murder charges after allegedly stabbing another man with a knife in Elmhurst, Queens. Justice Latella, Queens Supreme Court, People v. S.

After the jury trial conducted by Mr. Musa-Obregon, an African-American nightclub bouncer is acquitted of all charges including attempted murder for the near fatal stabbing of two customers outside a nightclub in Jamaica, Queens. Justice Katz, Queens Supreme Court, People v. B.

After a jury trial conducted by Mr. Musa-Obregon, Dominican construction worker acquitted after two week jury trial of all counts of a first degree gun-point robbery of cashier at a Colombian "afterhours" nightclub in Corona, Queens. Client disappeared and became a fugitive during the trial but because of Mr. Musa-Obregon's defense, the jury nonetheless voted "not guilty" on all charges. Justice Spires, Queens Supreme Court, People. v. S.

After Mr. Musa-Obregon represents client in grand jury testimony, Queens Grand Jury dismisses (votes a no true bill) in case of Hispanic man accused of attempted murder for stabbing two men in a Jackson Heights street encounter. Queens Criminal Court, People v. T.

Defended by Mr. Musa-Obregon, receives probation thus avoiding five year minimum mandatory jail sentence after FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force conducts a major sting operation finding hundreds of images of child pornography in his personal computer. Judge Gleason, Brooklyn Federal Court, USA v. C.

After the acquittal of all criminal charges, Mr. Musa-Obregon represented the also acquitted co-defendant in removal proceedings, obtained his release and prevented his deportation. This client is currently awaiting a green card through an approved employment petition (I-140) before the Immigration Judge at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan.