Most Deceptive Verdict: Russian National Sentenced to up to 12 Years in Prison for Elaborate Grift
Faux heiress Anna Sorokin, who lived a lavish life under false pretenses and bilked investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for her misdeeds, according to an article from The New York Times. Sorokin, who went by “Anna Delvey,” was said to have pretended to be a German heiress who wore fancy clothes and ate in expensive restaurants without a dollar to her name. In addition to a $24,000 fine, she was ordered to pay $199,000 in restitution. She also faces deportation upon release.
Most Presidential Verdict: Federal Judge Says House Committee Can See Trump’s Accounting Records
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled the House Oversight Committee deserves access to President Donald Trump’s financial records held by his accounting firm, according to an article from NBC News. Mehta said Congress is within its rights to investigate the records, denying claims from the President’s legal team that the request serves “no legislative purpose.” The President’s lawyers contend the subpoena was politically driven and not legislative. However, Mehta said, it is not for the court to rule on the committee member’s motivations.
Most Animalistic Verdict: Lemur Thief Cops to Crimes, Agrees to Guilty Plea
Aquinas Kasbar, who stole a lemur from the Santa Ana Zoo, in addition to setting a number of animals free and breaking into the facility, agreed to plead guilty for his transgressions, according to an article from the The New York Daily News. According to reports, Kasbar used bolt cutters to enter the area of the zoo holding lemurs and capuchin monkeys, allowing some of them to escape. Upon stealing the lemur, he subsequently abandoned it with a note asking it be returned to the zoo. His offense carries a penalty of up to $100,000 fine and a year in prison.
Most Trashy Verdict: Judge Upholds Verdict for Mobile Home Residents Sinking Into Former Landfill
Thirty-one families who filed suit against the Friendly Village Mobile Home Park saw their $36 million verdict upheld by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, according to an article from the Long Beach Post. The families were allegedly subjected to “toxic gas leaks and decaying conditions.” The park sits on land that once served as a city of Long Beach trash dump. The owners and operators of the mobile home park, Friendly Village MHP Associates, Kort & Scott Financial Group and Sierra Corporate Management, were accused of failing to make needed repairs and ignoring health hazards even as they continued to raise rent. Another trial for additional families is expected to take place in August.
Most Sickening Verdict: Monsanto to Pay $2B to Couple with Cancer
A couple suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after years of Roundup weed killer use won more than $2 billion from its manufacturer, Monsanto, representing the eighth largest personal injury award in U.S. history, according to an article from the Legal Examiner. Alva Pilliod and Alberta Pilliod both suffer from various cancers after reportedly using the weed killer for decades. Of the $2.055 billion awarded, $2 billion of it was punitive.