Authorities remain at ex-Orange County official’s Campbell Hall home after fatal FBI shootout

Rosenwasser, a former Orange County Executive Assistant District Attorney, was accused of taking $63,000 in bribes from Moutz Soudani to investigate a 2023 case against Soudani’s sister and nephew.

Blaise Gomez

Sep 25, 2024, 9:21 PM

Updated 14 days ago

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Authorities were seen for the second day at the upscale Campbell Hall residence of a retired Orange County judge and former prosecutor after an FBI shootout ended with the former official allegedly taking his own life.
FBI agents were at the home, on Route 416, to take Stewart Rosenwasser into custody Tuesday when the law enforcement activity took a tragic turn. News 12 has learned that Rosenwasser was indicted on a host of charges, including conspiracy, bribery and fraud for alleged official misconduct during a cryptocurrency theft case involving a wealthy family tied to a Hudson Valley unsolved murder.
The allegations and tragic turn of events are shocking for many of Rosenwasser’s peers who knew him.
“My first thought is to express my condolences. No matter what’s going on, it’s a shocking, tragic event,” says Rick Trunfio, a law professor at Syracuse University and former upstate prosecutor.
Rosenwasser, a former Orange County Executive Assistant District Attorney, was accused of taking $63,000 - more than was originally revealed in a civil suit - in bribes from Moutz Soudani to investigate a 2023 case against Soudani’s sister and nephew. Soudani is also charged in the federal indictment.
Copies of the checks and money orders are revealed in court documents, along with alleged inappropriate texts about the case between the two – who the feds say knew each other for years.
“If true, to betray his profession, it’s tragic,” says Trunfio. “It casts a shadow over the whole system.”
Sources say the feds are investigating other cases Rosenwasser oversaw when he was an Orange County Court judge and acting New York state Supreme Court justice.
According to the federal indictment, Rosenwasser failed to document the funds received that were noted as “loans” on a disclosure form required by the district attorney’s office for money and services received over $75 and lied to senior office representatives when questioned about a past relationship and possible conflict with Moutz Soudani.
Rosenwasser was eventually removed from the case and barred from access to evidence, according to the indictment which indicated he worked on two other large cases since he was hired in 2019 as chief counsel to the DA to advise on ethics issues and lead prosecutions on select cases.
He suddenly resigned in June.
The former official was being sued by the mother and son he accused in the criminal case and a request to dismiss the guilty plea was filed on behalf of their attorney.
The FBI released a statement saying the agent-involved shooting is under review.
“It’s truly hearbreaking that it ended this way,” said Orange County District Attorney Dave Hoovler. “My heartfelt condolences go out to his family. {My} office said it would not comment further.”