Lou Manzo Discusses the Aspiration Fraud Prosecution, the Los Angeles Clippers, Federal Prosecution and Sentencing, and Carbon Markets on Pablo Torre Finds Out

Principal Lou Manzo (Washington, DC) appeared on three episodes of the Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out, where he discussed the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) prosecution of executives involved in the Aspiration fraud case, federal sentencing considerations, and the legal issues surrounding carbon credit markets.

The federal prosecution also involved accusations that the Los Angeles Clippers sought to circumvent the NBA salary cap through its investment in Aspiration. Pablo Torre has won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the matter. His reporting led to an internal NBA investigation that found the Los Angeles Clippers used Aspiration as a vehicle to circumvent the NBA salary cap.

As the former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Lou led the DOJ's investigation into Aspiration, which included allegations of accounting fraud tied to a public offering and wire fraud related to double-counting and mismarking of carbon offsets to defraud investors. On Pablo Torre Finds Out, Lou provides an inside look at how federal prosecutors assess evidence, develop fraud cases, and evaluate cooperation and victim-impact arguments during sentencing proceedings.

Listen to Lou’s appearances on the podcast: the first episode, “Meet the Prosecutor Who Investigated Steve Ballmer's Clippers Nightmare”; the second, “’This Is Mind-Blowing’: Steve Ballmer's Aspiration I.O.U., Uncovered”; and the third, “How the DOJ Might Build a Case Against Steve Ballmer.”

In addition to this podcast, Lou regularly speaks with major news outlets, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Bloomberg Law, on high-stakes criminal trials.

B&D’s Climate Change & Carbon Markets, Transactions, and ESG practices advise clients on cutting-edge climate change and emissions trading matters at the state, national, and international level. Our White Collar practice, which includes two former Assistant United States Attorneys, counsels organizations, boards, and institutions on complex internal investigations, governance reviews, compliance matters, and risk management issues. The firm has extensive experience conducting sensitive, high-profile investigations involving regulatory oversight, organizational governance, and institutional integrity.