Grifter is guilty one more time

A Brooklyn man pleaded guilty Friday to a moneylaundering scheme he devised to avoid paying money he owed on a $12.7 million fine from a securities fraud case, authorities said.

Prosecutors said the shakedown fell apart, and Andrew Tepfer is on the hook for both criminal capers.

In 2011 and 2012, Tepfer and an unnamed co-conspirator pleaded guilty in Brooklyn federal court to securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

At their sentencing in 2014, they were ordered to pay approximately $12.7 million in restitution to the victims of the scheme.

But instead of turning over a new leaf, Tepfer and his new partner, Mark Weissman, tried to shake down Tepfer’s old partner, and told him that incriminating information about him would be provided to law enforcement unless he paid $6 million to Tepfer, prosecutors said.

Tepfer believed that his first partner still had some of the money from the securities scam stashed away.

Tepfer and Weissman then made plans to maneuver the money to keep it out of the hands of the government, which had ordered Tepfer to pay restitution to his earlier victims.

“With today’s guilty plea, Tepfer has been held responsible for his participation in a money-laundering scheme to hide funds derived from a brazen shakedown,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue. “This office will vigorously prosecute those who flout court orders and exploit victims.”

Weissman, 55, a Long Island attorney, pleaded guilty to charges related to his role in the scheme.

He was sentenced in January to four years’ probation, 300 hours of community service and a $45,000 fine.

Tepfer, 56, faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced.