PreparedStatementofNicholasT.

Steffens
TobedeliveredonJune20,2016inopencourt

YourHonor,IspeaktodaytoexpressmyabsoluteandtotalregretfortheactionsItook
thathaveleadmetothisunfortunatesituationIamintoday.Tobeclearattheoutset,Iam
sorrytoyou,theVictims,theStatesAttorneysOffice,TheFloridaBar,theFloridaCourts,the
individualsthatoverseetheSurplusTrusteeProgram,myparents,familyandmydaughter,
JaydenforwhatIhavedone.

Thereisnoexcuseformybehavior.TherewasatimewhenIwasmakinggoodmoney
andperformingverycapablyasalawyer.Unfortunately,Iletdepressionthatsetinaftermyfirst
divorcecripplemeandinsteadofreachingoutforhelp,IwoundupwithseveralBarComplaints.
Theresultofthatwasdecreasedearningsandfewnewclients.Asaresult,Ibelievedmyonly
avenuewouldbetotake,althoughatthetimeItermeditborrow,fromfundsIhadaccessto
throughtheSurplusTrusteeprogram.WhereIcouldhavesoughtdecreasedpaymentsin
alimonyandchildsupport,movedbackwithmyparentsandtakenotherreasonablemeasures
tosavemoney,Ibecamegreedy.Thisis,withouthesitation,thebiggestregretofmylife.

Ofcourse,thisactionresultedinothernegativeactionswhichIamcompletelyashamed.
Thoseincludelyingtocourts,othermembersoftheBar,TheFloridaBarsinvestigatorsandmy
ownfriendsandfamily.Imanipulatedothersaroundme,includingDebraRosenthal,whowas
mypartnerintheSurplusTrusteeprogramandhadnoideaofthecrimesIwascommitting.I
willforeverregrettheseactions.

Itakefullandabsoluteresponsibilityfortheseactions.Ihopeitcanbenotedthatno
otherindividualcouldbeimplicatedinthiscrimebecauseliterallynooneelseknew.I
committedtheseactsalonetoenrichmyselfandliveafalselifestyle.

Iwouldliketothanktheprosecution,includingMr.DavidSchulson,whocouldhave
mademattersmuchworseforme.HekindlypermittedthisdaytoextendbeyondFathersDay
soIcouldspenditwithmydaughterandsoshecouldfinishschoolbeforeIwasincarcerated.
Forthis,Iammostgrateful.

Further,Iwouldliketothankmyattorney,LarryDavisandhistalentedassociatesShana
KordaandMatthewHatfieldwhohavebeensimplyincrediblethroughoutthiswholeprocess.I
wouldalsoberemissifIdidnotthankKevinTynanandKimMarjenhoff,bothofwhomprovided
excellentcounselthroughoutthisordeal.

IwouldalsoliketonotewithouttheassistanceofDr.ScottWeinsteinandFlorida
LawyersAssistance,IwouldnothavemadetheprogressIhavemadetothispointtobeginto
improvemyself.IencouragealllawyerstoseeouttheassistanceofFLAifandwhentheyfeel
depressed,anxiousoranyothermentaldifficultywhichisimpactingtheirabilitytopracticelaw.
IfIhaddonethisearlier,Iwouldnotbeheretoday.

Onafinalnote,IfullyunderstandwhatIhavedonewrong.Further,my8yearoldtothe
bestshecanunderstandsthisaswell.MyabsoluteintentionistomakewholeonthedebtthatI
have.Iwillleavenostoneunturnedinmyquesttomakemyvictimswhole.Thisistheonlyway
IwillbeabletobeagoodexampletoJaydengoingforward.ItisunfortunatethatIwillnotbe
abletobeginworkingonthisuntilthecompletionofmysentence,althoughIintendondoing
workwhileincarceratedtomakemethebestpossibleversionofmeIcantoreenterthe
workforceandmakemyvictimswhole.

Again,IwouldliketoapologizetotheVictims.Theyarealltrulyinnocent.Itook
advantageofabrokensysteminordertopersonallyenrichmyself.Thisisindefensible.Ilook
forwardtotheday,nomatterhowfaroffitmaybe,whentheycanenjoythefundsthatare
rightfullytheirs.

Thankyou.