Many in South Florida's business and legal community expressed shock and amazement when Ft Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein's Ponzi scheme was exposed last November.
But there were clues early on.
After all, is there any good reason why anyone needs 120 watches worth more than $2 million?
From a Sept. 2007 Miami Herald story:
CEO of the law firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, Rothstein's personal collection of more than 120 timepieces is worth more than $2 million. If it was simply about telling time, he might very well sport a $50 Timex. But Rothstein does not care so much about telling time as he does about owning the absolute best and most uniquely engineered pieces around.
"I've been collecting watches for 15 years this year," says Rothstein, as he watch-shopped at Levinson Jewelers in Plantation, on a recent Tuesday afternoon. "And I could just check my cellphone for the time, if that's all I wanted. But when you're into hoarding things, there's nothing more beautiful to have than a watch. If made right it's the perfect combination of science and art. Really, they're beautiful."
[...]
Rothstein explains, "It's business as well as personal. These things . . . won't lose value. But back to the personal, if they are creative in design and well made, picking out a different watch to wear each day can be as fun as picking out a different set of clothing."
Nope, no warning signs here!
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