Judge: Hey, ‘Wolf,’ fork over the cash
A BROOKLYN judge isn’t afraid to put a big bad wolf on a payment plan.
Almost 20 years after his conviction, Federal Judge Ann Donnelly told lawyers for “Wolf of Wall Street” Jordan Belfort that she’s focused on getting the stock fraudster’s $97.5 million investor restitution “back on track.”
“It’s not a particularly attractive picture in him taking all this money and him claiming he needs it for his family,” the judge said at a Wednesday garnishment hearing.
“It seems like he does have some spare change lying around,” she later quipped.
Belfort, 55, wasn’t in court — he was in Lithuania giving a speech.
His lawyer said she was happy to get her client on a compensation schedule to the feds.
In 1999, Belfort pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering. He has a $110 million judgment to deal with, and so far has paid off $12.8 million.