Denenberg, former firm settle suit

Sides won’t discuss settlement’s terms

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The lawsuit that ended Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg’s State Senate campaign is over.

The Merrick Democrat’s former law firm, Davidoff Hutch & Citron, which sued him in September for allegedly defrauding a corporate client of $2.3 million, filed a “stipulation of discontinuance” last Monday in state court in Manhattan. The three-page document, signed by DHC partner Lawrence Hutcher and Denenberg’s attorney, Jeffrey Gold, dismissed the suit “subject to [Denenberg’s] continuing obligations” under a settlement dated Oct. 21. It did not reveal the settlement’s terms, other than that Denenberg and DHC would pay their own legal costs.

“The parties have settled all of their grievances against each other, and there is a confidentiality order that prevents me from discussing this any further,” Gold told the Herald.

Jeffrey Citron, a DHC partner, echoed Gold. “I’m really not in a position to comment,” Citron said. “We have a confidentiality agreement with regard to the stipulation.”

The case prompted federal prosecutors to charge Denenberg with eight felony counts of mail fraud, which are pending. Denenberg’s criminal defense attorney, Jason Russo, said on Dec. 11 in federal court that his client had made “full restitution” to DHC. Russo later declined to elaborate, also citing the confidentiality agreement. 

Denenberg is expected to change his current plea of not guilty to guilty in court on Jan. 21, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Reinis Gatz and Russo, who said the prosecution had made an “acceptable” plea offer.