{"id":4099,"date":"2024-10-23T15:59:34","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T19:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/?p=4099"},"modified":"2024-12-06T09:54:35","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T14:54:35","slug":"michael-j-roemer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/judges\/michael-j-roemer\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael J. Roemer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">2015<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> \u2013 <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">present<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Federal Judicial Service:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York.\u00a0 Entered duty on December 18, 2015, and reappointed to additional eight-year term in July 2023.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Education:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cornell Law School, J.D., <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">magna cum laude<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, 1990<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">United States Military Academy at West Point, B.S., 1982<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Professional Career:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Clerk of Court, United States District Court, Western District of New York, 2009-2015<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Career Confidential Law Clerk to Hon. Richard J. Arcara, United States District Court, Western District of New York, 1994-2009<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Senior Lecturer, Niagara University, Criminal Justice Department, 2004-2005<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Private Practice, Jones, Day, Reavis &amp; Progue, Cleveland, Ohio, 1992-1994<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Noteworthy Cases:<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, et al., v. Stratfs, et al.<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, No. 1:24-CV-00040:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On January 10, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and various state attorneys general offices filed a lawsuit alleging that defendants charged exorbitant, advance fees to provide debt-relief services, in violation of the federal Telemarketing Sales Rules (TSR).\u00a0 Plaintiffs claimed that since January 2016, defendants, using a large web of interrelated companies and law firms acting as fa\u00e7ades for their operation, collected at least $100,000,000 in illegal advance fees from vulnerable consumers who had accumulated extensive credit card debt that they were unable to repay.\u00a0 The complaint sought preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, as well as monetary redress for consumers, and civil penalties.\u00a0 Defendants argued they were exempt from the TSR pursuant to an exception which permits advance fees if the seller of the debt-relief service provides a face-to-face sales presentation to the consumer.\u00a0 Following a two-day evidentiary hearing, Judge Roemer granted plaintiffs\u2019 motion for a preliminary injunction, enjoining defendants from collecting advance fees.\u00a0 Judge Roemer determined the notaries used by defendants to conduct the presentations were independent contractors and not sellers of the debt-relief services.\u00a0 Judge Roemer also found that the notaries had no substantive knowledge of the debt-relief program; could not and would not answer any of consumers\u2019 substantive questions about the program, which had some substantial downsides for consumers; and had as their primary purpose the signing of the contract for debt-relief services.\u00a0 Therefore, the presentations did not limit the potential problems the TSR was designed to remedy.\u00a0 Judge Roemer found no evidence that defendants\u2019 debt-relief services provided an appreciable economic benefit to consumers, and, conversely, found that many consumers were negatively impacted by the program.\u00a0 Judge Roemer also granted plaintiffs\u2019 request to appoint a receiver and to freeze defendants\u2019 assets during the pendency of the lawsuit.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, et al., v. Stratfs, et al.<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37615 (W.D.N.Y. 2024)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/consumer-fin-prot-bureau-v-stratfs-llc\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/consumer-fin-prot-bureau-v-stratfs-llc<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">United States v. Hormoz Mansouri<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, No. 1:22-CR-00034:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Mr. Mansouri, a well-known local businessman, was charged with bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering in connection with his application for and receipt of business loans through the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.\u00a0 These programs were established by the federal government to provide emergency financial assistance loans and other economic relief to businesses suffering the effects of the COVID19 pandemic.\u00a0 The indictment alleged that Mansouri, who owned numerous business entities, submitted multiple fraudulent applications for loans in which he inflated payroll figures, falsely represented revenues and costs of goods sold, and even sought payroll assistance for companies with no employees or payroll expenses.\u00a0 Mansouri sought to dismiss the indictment on the basis that the Supreme Court\u2019s recent narrowing of federal wire fraud laws in its reversal of Louis Ciminelli\u2019s conviction for the Buffalo Billion bidrigging scheme, was applicable to his own case. Mansouri\u2019s theory was rejected by Judge Roemer in a report and recommendation later adopted by the District Court.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">United States v. Hormoz Mansouri<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 232447 (W.D.N.Y. 2023), <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">report and recommendation adopted<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 216277 (W.D.N.Y. 2023)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/united-states-v-mansouri?q=hormoz%20mansouri&amp;sort=relevance&amp;p=1&amp;type=case\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/united-states-v-mansouri?q=hormoz%20mansouri&amp;sort=relevance&amp;p=1&amp;type=case<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/united-states-v-mansouri-1?q=hormoz%20mansouri&amp;sort=relevance&amp;p=1&amp;type=case\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/united-states-v-mansouri-1?q=hormoz%20mansouri&amp;sort=relevance&amp;p=1&amp;type=case<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In re Practicefirst Data Breach Litig.<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, No. 1:21-CV-00790:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In December 2020, hackers accessed and stole data held by Practicefirst, a medical records management service.\u00a0 The stolen data encompassed records of approximately 1.2 million patients of various medical providers, and included Social Security numbers, bank account and credit card information, and medical diagnoses.\u00a0 Practicefirst was then subject to a ransomware attack, whereby access to its computer system was blocked until a fee was paid to the hackers.\u00a0 Four plaintiffs brought a putative class action lawsuit against Practicefirst alleging diminution of value of their personal information, violation of privacy, and increased risk of identity theft and fraud.\u00a0 Judge Roemer found that plaintiffs lacked Article III standing to sue.\u00a0 Judge Roemer relied on the Supreme\u2019s Court decision in <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Transunion v. Ramirez<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which held that plaintiffs alleging an imminent risk of future harm to achieve standing must also allege \u201ca separate, concrete harm that was caused by exposure to the imminent risk.\u201d\u00a0 Judge Roemer noted that the complaint alleged a \u201cgarden-variety ransomware attack\u201d and that plaintiffs failed to allege either that they suffered identity theft or fraud, or that the hackers\u2019 actions were a targeted attempt to obtain their data for identity theft or fraud.\u00a0 Judge Roemer also found that the time and resources plaintiffs spent to protect their data from a speculative or possible future injury was insufficient to allege concrete injury.\u00a0 Judge Roemer\u2019s recommendation to dismiss the class action lawsuit for lack of standing was adopted by the District Court.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In re Practicefirst Data Breach Litig.<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19272 (W.D.N.Y. 2022).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/in-re-practicefirst-data-breach-litig?sort=relevance&amp;p=1&amp;type=case\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/in-re-practicefirst-data-breach-litig?sort=relevance&amp;p=1&amp;type=case<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2015 \u2013 present\u00a0 Federal Judicial Service:\u00a0 Magistrate Judge, U.S. District  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,35,37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-active-judges","category-judges","category-magistrate-judges"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4099"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4099\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4439,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4099\/revisions\/4439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/library.ca2.uscourts.gov\/wdny-125\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}