Report: With FBI Agents at His Door, Ex-Prosecutor Kills Self

A former prosecutor accused of taking bribes in New York died by suicide Tuesday after firing at federal agents who tried to arrest him, according to reports. Stewart Rosenwasser, formerly of the Orange County District Attorney's Office, allegedly accepted $63,000 in bribes from a millionaire former restaurateur named Mout'z Soudani to investigate and prosecute Soudani's sister, Eman Soudani, and her adult son, Martin Soudani, in a $1.9 million theft and embezzlement case, reports the Times Union. The charges against Eman were later dropped, while Martin pleaded guilty to grand larceny in November. He's now seeking to have his conviction overturned.

Last month, the mother and son served notices of claim against Rosenwasser and other figures at the district attorney's office, seeking $22.5 million for alleged malicious prosecution, bribery, fraud, and other claims, citing text messages and checks exchanged between Rosenwasser and Mout'z Soudani. FBI agents were planning to arrest Rosenwasser when they turned up at his Campbell Hall home on Tuesday morning, per the Times Union. He allegedly pointed a gun at agents, who reported numerous shots fired at the scene, including at least one from an officer, per NBC New York. Sources say Rosenwasser ultimately barricaded himself and then shot himself.

The US District Court in the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment against Rosenwasser and Mout'z Soudani hours after the former died. It showed Rosenwasser had been indicted on charges of bribery, extortion under color of official right, honest services wire fraud, making false statements, and other crimes. He spent six years as an Orange County judge and acting state Supreme Court justice and at one time led the county's Conviction Integrity Unit, the Times Union reports. He quit his job as chief counsel to the Orange County DA's office and executive assistant district attorney on June 21, three days after sitting for an FBI interview. Feds raided his home the following month. (More New York stories.)