In a review of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed forfeiture bill, the New York Law Journal interviewed Steven L. Kessler.  In the January 20, 2012 issue of the Journal, Kessler criticized the proposal, citing the state prosecutors’ attempts to “federalize” New York’s statute, which was the product of years of discussion and analysis and which is more protective of innocent parties than its federal counterparts.  For the complete article, please click here.

Steven Kessler, a New York-based attorney and expert on asset forfeiture says that is not unusual.

“It’s now almost become something where you can’t arrest people because you know when they go to trial no one is going to convict them,” Kessler says. “So you say ‘OK, let’s make things miserable for them and take their property and cash and the like.’”