Manhattan Businessman Sentenced To Nine Months In Prison For Forging Federal Court Orders To Remove Negative Reviews From Internet Search Results
Manhattan businessman Michael Arnstein was sentenced to nine months in prison for forging federal court orders with a fake judge’s signature to deceive Google into removing negative reviews about his business, resulting in a $20,000 fine, three years of supervised release with five months of home detention, and 200 hours of community service.
Michael Arnstein pled guilty to conspiring to forge over 10 counterfeit federal court orders between February 2014 and February 2017, falsely attributing them to a U.S. District Judge to compel Google to de-index websites containing negative reviews of his business. He was sentenced to nine months in prison, three years of supervised release (including five months of home detention), a $20,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. The case, prosecuted by the Southern District of New York’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service with critical assistance from Google.
Michael Arnstein, a 41-year-old Manhattan businessman from Yonkers, New York, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to forge federal court orders to manipulate Google’s search results. Between February 2014 and February 2017, Arnstein and associates created more than 10 counterfeit court orders bearing a forged signature of a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, falsely claiming judicial authority to remove websites with unfavorable content about his business. He submitted these fraudulent documents to Google, which initially complied with the requests to de-index the targeted sites. Arnstein pleaded guilty on September 15, 2017, to conspiracy to commit forgery, admitting to exploiting the authority of the federal judiciary for commercial gain. In addition to his prison term, he was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, with the first five months under home detention, pay a $20,000 fine, and complete 200 hours of community service. The investigation was led by the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, with Google providing essential cooperation that helped uncover the fraud. The prosecution, handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheb Swett and Daniel S. Noble, emphasized the seriousness of abusing judicial processes to silence online criticism.
Extracted insights
- $20K $20,000 $10K–$100K
- person Geoffrey S. Berman
- company google, inc.
- person Michael Arnstein
- Michael Arnstein sentenced to nine months in prison
- Michael Arnstein pled guilty to conspiring to forge federal court orders
- Michael Arnstein forged signature of United States District Judge for Southern District of New York
- Michael Arnstein submitted counterfeit orders to Google, Inc.
- Michael Arnstein engaged in scheme between February 2014 and February 2017
- Michael Arnstein forged on more than 10 counterfeit court orders
- Michael Arnstein ordered to pay $20,000 fine
- Michael Arnstein ordered to perform 200 hours of community service
- Michael Arnstein sentenced to three years of supervised release
- Michael Arnstein must serve in home detention for first five months
- Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr. imposed sentence on Michael Arnstein
- Geoffrey S. Berman announced sentencing of Michael Arnstein
Press Release Manhattan Businessman Sentenced To Nine Months In Prison For Forging Federal Court Orders To Remove Negative Reviews From Internet Search Results Friday, October 19, 2018 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL ARNSTEIN was sentenced today to nine months in prison for conspiring to forge a federal judge’s signature on counterfeit court orders that ARNSTEIN submitted to Google to get negative reviews about his business removed from Google search results. ARNSTEIN pled guilty on September 15, 2017, before U.S. District Court Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr., who imposed today’s sentence. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Michael Arnstein’s blatant criminal scheme to exploit the authority of the federal judiciary for his company’s benefit was outrageous. As Arnstein has learned, his attempts to remove negative reviews about his business from Google search results by forging a U.S. District Court judge’s signature may have worked in the short term, but it also earned him nine months in a federal prison.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, the felony Information to which ARNSTEIN pled guilty, and statements made during court proceedings: Between February 2014 and February 2017, ARNSTEIN engaged in a scheme to submit counterfeit federal court orders to Google, Inc. (“Google”) in an effort to get websites containing unfavorable postings about ARNSTEIN’s business de-indexed from Google’s internet search results. In furtherance of this scheme, ARNSTEIN and others forged the signature of a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York on more than 10 counterfeit court orders. These counterfeit orders listed the websites containing purportedly defamatory information about ARNSTEIN’s business and ordered the removal of such information from the websites. ARNSTEIN then submitted the counterfeit orders, which appeared to be valid on their face, to Google and requested that Google de-index the websites containing the purportedly defamatory information. * * * In addition to the prison term, ARNSTEIN, 41, of Yonkers, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, the first five months of which ARNSTEIN must serve in home detention. ARNSTEIN was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and to perform 200 hours of community service during his term of supervised release. Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service. He also thanked Google for its helpful assistance in this investigation. The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheb Swett and Daniel S. Noble are in charge of the prosecution. Updated October 19, 2018 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 18-360
Press Release Manhattan Businessman Sentenced To Nine Months In Prison For Forging Federal Court Orders To Remove Negative Reviews From Internet Search Results Friday, October 19, 2018 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL ARNSTEIN was sentenced today to nine months in prison for conspiring to forge a federal judge’s signature on counterfeit court orders that ARNSTEIN submitted to Google to get negative reviews about his business removed from Google search results. ARNSTEIN pled guilty on September 15, 2017, before U.S. District Court Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr., who imposed today’s sentence. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Michael Arnstein’s blatant criminal scheme to exploit the authority of the federal judiciary for his company’s benefit was outrageous. As Arnstein has learned, his attempts to remove negative reviews about his business from Google search results by forging a U.S. District Court judge’s signature may have worked in the short term, but it also earned him nine months in a federal prison.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, the felony Information to which ARNSTEIN pled guilty, and statements made during court proceedings: Between February 2014 and February 2017, ARNSTEIN engaged in a scheme to submit counterfeit federal court orders to Google, Inc. (“Google”) in an effort to get websites containing unfavorable postings about ARNSTEIN’s business de-indexed from Google’s internet search results. In furtherance of this scheme, ARNSTEIN and others forged the signature of a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York on more than 10 counterfeit court orders. These counterfeit orders listed the websites containing purportedly defamatory information about ARNSTEIN’s business and ordered the removal of such information from the websites. ARNSTEIN then submitted the counterfeit orders, which appeared to be valid on their face, to Google and requested that Google de-index the websites containing the purportedly defamatory information. * * * In addition to the prison term, ARNSTEIN, 41, of Yonkers, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, the first five months of which ARNSTEIN must serve in home detention. ARNSTEIN was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and to perform 200 hours of community service during his term of supervised release. Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service. He also thanked Google for its helpful assistance in this investigation. The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheb Swett and Daniel S. Noble are in charge of the prosecution. Updated October 19, 2018 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 18-360