Exhibit L

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1366-14 Filed 10/26/21 Page 1 of 3
From: Garringer, Scott (USACAC)

To: Whitney Bernstein; Thomas H. Bienert

Cc: Galatzan, Jonathan (USACAC); Boyle, Daniel (USACAC); Rapp, Kevin (USAAZ)

Subject: RE: Letter from Tom Bienert re CACD 18-CV-8420-RGK

Date: Monday, October 18, 2021 10:56:50 AM

Mr. Bienert and Mr. BernsteinThank you for your letter. I have reviewed your requests and the four categories of assets you seek

to be returned, and I have discussed your requests with AUSA Dan Boyle. I have also discussed this

matter with Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Wilkison, and we are not going to intervene in the

negotiations, particularly given the currently-pending briefing schedule on the motion you informed

the Court you would be filing, which we do not want to delay. If you would like the IOLTA funds

returned, you will need to file a Monsanto motion and make a showing that you lack other assets to

fund your defense. Backpage has already agreed to forfeit those funds, so there is no question that

those funds are tainted, but you can also challenge that forfeiture in the ancillary proceedings at the

appropriate time. Regarding the second category, we do not agree with your calculations and

position that the government has no right to seize 10 percent of those funds, particularly given the

money laundering charges and the government’s entitlement to commingled assets as a result,

which Steve Welk emphasized with Mr. Bienert during our discussion back on July 30, 2019.

Regarding the third category, there may be room to negotiate, so I encourage you to discuss with

AUSA Boyle and his Chief, Jonathan Galatzan, but neither Tracy Wilkison nor I are going to intervene

in those negotiations. Similarly, I suggest that you raise the fourth category with AUSAs Boyle and

Galatzan as well, as I am told that this theory has not been discussed with them. AUSAs Boyle and

Galatzan have full authority to negotiate these matters, and if you are not satisfied with those

negotiations, you should file your motion, and the parties can litigate it. I am not going to inject

myself into those negotiations, particularly when the briefing schedule for that motion is underway.

Thank you,

SCOTT M. GARRINGER

Chief, Criminal Division

United States Attorney’s Office

312 North Spring Street

Los Angeles, CA 90012

T: 213.894.2417 | scott.garringer@usdoj.gov

From: Whitney Bernstein <wbernstein@bklwlaw.com> 

Sent: Friday, October 15, 2021 10:06 AM

To: Wilkison, Tracy (USACAC) <TWilkison@usa.doj.gov>; Garringer, Scott (USACAC)

<SGarringer@usa.doj.gov>; Galatzan, Jonathan (USACAC) <jgalatzan@usa.doj.gov>; Boyle, Daniel

(USACAC) <DBoyle@usa.doj.gov>; McCormick, Glenn (USAAZ) <GMcCormick@usa.doj.gov>;

Sechrist, Heather (USAAZ) <HSechrist@usa.doj.gov>; Rapp, Kevin (USAAZ) <KRapp@usa.doj.gov>;

Stone, Andrew (USAAZ) <AStone1@usa.doj.gov>; Perlmeter, Margaret (USAAZ)

<MPerlmeter@usa.doj.gov>; Kozinets, Peter (USAAZ) <PKozinets@usa.doj.gov>; Connor, Deborah

(CRM) <Deborah.Connor@usdoj.gov>; Jones, Reginald (CRM) <Reginald.Jones4@usdoj.gov>

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1366-14 Filed 10/26/21 Page 2 of 3
Cc: Thomas H. Bienert <tbienert@bklwlaw.com>; Toni Thomas <tthomas@bklwlaw.com>; Paul John

Cambria, Jr <pcambria@lglaw.com>; Erin McCampbell Paris <eparis@lglaw.com>; Gary S. Lincenberg

<glincenberg@birdmarella.com>; Gopi K. Panchapakesan <gpanchapakesan@birdmarella.com>;

Ariel A. Neuman <aneuman@birdmarella.com>; Bruce Feder <bf@federlawpa.com>; FL

<fl@federlawpa.com>; Ramachandran, Seetha <SRamachandran@proskauer.com>; Daniel J. Quigley

(quigley@djqplc.com) <quigley@djqplc.com>

Subject: [EXTERNAL] Letter from Tom Bienert re CACD 18-CV-8420-RGK

Dear Government Counsel,

Please see attached letter from Tom Bienert.

Thank you,

Whitney

Whitney Z. Bernstein

Partner | Orange County

Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP

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Los Angeles | 601 W. 5th Street, Suite 720 | Los Angeles, CA 90071 | (213) 528-3400

Orange County | 903 Calle Amanecer, Suite 350 | San Clemente, CA 92673 | (949) 369-3700

The foregoing message is confidential and intended for the designated recipient only. The foregoing information may be

protected by attorney-client and/or work product privileges. Accordingly, if you have received this message in error, please

contact BIENERT KATZMAN LITTRELL WILLIAMS LLP immediately, and delete the message without reviewing,

copying, or making further use of the information contained herein.

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1366-14 Filed 10/26/21 Page 3 of 3