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Howard Kusnick Charged With Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud

While it seems as though the lawsuit filed by Howard A. Kusnick PA against Kellin Deglan (the #22 overall pick in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft) is stalled (the most recent movement being Deglan filing a new motion to dismiss), Howard Kusnick has his hands full with different court proceedings.  Kusnick, a principal at Double Diamond Sports Management, which represents Lorenzo Cain, Jeremy Jeffress, and Philippe Valiquette amongst others, was charged on Friday, May 27, 2011 with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison, but the Broward/Palm Beach New Times reports that Kusnick is expected to plead guilty as part of an arrangement with the FBI, which will likely mean less than a full five years in prison.

The Sun Sentinel was more specific about the charges against Kusnick.  The Sentinel stated that Kusnick has been accused of providing false legal information to help Scott Rothstein trick a car dealer Ed Morse and his wife out of $57 million.  Kusnick is expected to make his first court appearance this week.

Absolutely nothing I write will compare to Bob Norman’s Sunday Post titled, Karma Catches up with Kusnick.  I wonder if any rival agents will be sending the article to Double Diamond Sports Management clients or if the MLB Players Association is paying any attention to this matter.

Update (9:50 a.m. on 6/1/11): I have been informed by Joshua Kusnick’s attorney that Joshua Kusnick is the only principal of Double Diamond Sports Management, Inc. according to the Florida Division of Corporations website and that Howard Kusnick is not now and at no time material has held such a role with the company, nor has he been an officer, director, owner or shareholder in Double Diamond Sports Management, Inc.  But Howard is listed as an advisor of Juan Carlos Subaran, was named as a principal on Double Diamond’s website (which conveniently no longer exists) according to the Broward/Palm Beach New Times, and announced the founding of his full service sports management firm, Double Diamond Sports Management in Spring 2007.

Update (6:00 p.m. 6/1/11): I have also been informed that Juan Carlos Subaran’s Wikipedia page has not been updated to reflect the fact that the Kusnicks are not currently his agents.  I have updated the post based on this knowledge.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.