A Manhattan based law firm specializing in complex litigation that has litigated over 125 cases in the federal courts nationwide. Its proprietor, John Meringolo, has over 100 weeks of federal trial experience in addition to authoring 20 appellate briefs for the Circuit Courts of Appeals. Notably, on January 2, 2019, a jury in the Southern District of New York found Deputy Inspector James Grant of the NYPD Not Guilty on all counts including Honest Services Fraud. On March 13, 2019, a jury in the Southern District of New York found John Zancochio, the Consigliere of the Bonanno Crime Family, Not Guilty on all counts of Racketeering and Assault in Aid of Racketeering.
Meringolo represented Philadelphia Mob Boss, Joseph Merlino, who faced 40 years in prison for racketeering. On February 20, 2018, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the racketeering charge and a mistrial was declared. Subsequently Mr. Merlino pled guilty to a single gambling charge and was sentenced to 24-months. Meringolo’s other high-profile trials in the Southern District of New York include, John Gotti, Jr., Gregory Depalma, Thomas Carbonaro, Christopher Londonio and Angelo DiPietro. In January 2020, Meringolo was named lawyer of the year for the second year in a row by the foremost expert on organized crime, Jerry Capeci.
In 2019, Meringolo was the lead trial attorney for three high-profile federal cases in the Southern District of New York and was also part of the defense team for two state court cases. Four of those five trials resulted full acquittals of Meringolo’s clients. During 2020, Meringolo was hired by businessman Jeremy Riechberg, co-defendant of Meringolo’s former client Deputy Inspector James Grant, to appeal his conviction on Honest Services Fraud.
In 2020, Meringolo obtained a lower-than-guidelines sentence for Anthony Ambrosio a.k.a. “Anthony Mortgage” who received a 17-month sentence for wire fraud. Meringolo also appealed the detention of Steven Mazzone, alleged Underboss of the Philadelphia Crime Family, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and on December 28, 2020, Mazzone was granted bail. In 2021 the firm is also scheduled to go to trial on behalf of defendant Tim Shea, a co-defendant of Steve Bannon, on the “We Build the Wall” case in the Southern District of New York.
In 2019, Meringolo was the lead trial attorney for three high-profile federal cases in the Southern District of New York and was also part of the defense team for two state court cases. Four of those five trials resulted full acquittals of Meringolo’s clients. During 2020, Meringolo was hired by businessman Jeremy Riechberg, co-defendant of Meringolo’s former client Deputy Inspector James Grant, to appeal his conviction on Honest Services Fraud.
In 2020, Meringolo obtained a lower-than-guidelines sentence for Anthony Ambrosio a.k.a. “Anthony Mortgage” who received a 17-month sentence for wire fraud. Meringolo also appealed the detention of Steven Mazzone, alleged Underboss of the Philadelphia Crime Family, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and on December 28, 2020, Mazzone was granted bail. In 2021 the firm is also scheduled to go to trial on behalf of defendant Tim Shea, a co-defendant of Steve Bannon, on the “We Build the Wall” case in the Southern District of New York.
In 2021, Meringolo was also retained to represent Joseph Meli, indicted on Securities Fraud in the Southern District of New York. Mr. Meli’s story was depicted on CNBC’s American Greed. Other of the firm’s white-collar cases have also been featured on CNBC’s American Greed, including – United States v. David Brooks, a $190 million insider trading case for which the firm authored all pre-trial motions; United States v. Sal Romano, where the defendant was charged with a $60 million fraud in his sale of vintage coins; and United States v. Sholom Robaskin, a $23 million fraud case to which the firm contributed to the bail memorandum.
In United States v. Mathew Libous, Libous was acquitted of four of six tax counts in the Southern District of New York and was sentenced to six months in prison. In United States v. Calabretta the Third Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the District Court’s sentence, holding that the Career Offender statute was unconstitutionally applied to Mr. Calabretta.
In United States v. Mathew Libous, Libous was acquitted of four of six tax counts in the Southern District of New York and was sentenced to six months in prison. In United States v. Calabretta the Third Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the District Court’s sentence, holding that the Career Offender statute was unconstitutionally applied to Mr. Calabretta.
The firm contributes to the Pace Law Criminal Blog, writing about relevant federal criminal issues as well as mentoring law students each year.
Counselors of Law
John C. Meringolo, Esq.
Mr. Meringolo has career experience in academia, entertainment, law and publishing. Currently, he is the proprietor of Meringolo Law and a Professor of Law at Pace Law School.
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Anjelica Cappellino, Esq.
Graduated from New York Law School in 2011. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from St. John’s University in 2008.
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Clara Kalhous, Esq.
Graduated from Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in 2009. She is admitted to the bars of New York (2009), New Jersey (2009), the Southern District of New York (2010), the Eastern District of New York (2010), and the District of New Jersey (2009).
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Joe Montana’s In the Redzone
Mr. Meringolo was involved in a number of successful business ventures. In 1999, Mr. Meringolo served as Associate Counsel and Special Projects Coordinator for football legend Joe Montana’s magazine, “Joe Montana’s In the Redzone.” At the age of 26, from 2000 to 2001, Mr. Meringolo served as Chairman and CEO for Premier Sports Media and Entertainment Group, Inc., the New York parent company of Explosion Promotions, which promoted boxing events on ESPN and HBO.
Meringolo & Muhammad Ali
In 2002, Mr. Meringolo published the collectible magazine, “Muhammad Ali, The Greatest,” which was authorized by Muhammad Ali. The magazine, which highlighted the career of Muhammad Ali, was hailed as a “one of a kind publication” and “the perfect gift for Ali fans, memorabilia collectors, fans of Will Smith and the ‘Ali’ movie, as well as the millions of young people who never had the opportunity to see Ali fight or understand the impact he had on society.”
EXCLUSIVE: Mob Lawyer inked contract with Muhammad Ali to publish rare magazine on the boxer
NY Daily News Article: June 2016
Law Review Articles
Court Drawings Gallery
