Craig Rothfeld

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Craig Rothfeld
EducationUniversity at Albany, SUNY, New York University Stern School of Business
OccupationPrison consultant
Years active2014 – present
Known forBeing prison consultant for public figures
Websiteinsideoutsideltd.com

Craig Rothfeld is an American prison consultant and former securities industry executive. After serving a prison sentence for financial crimes, he began advising clients on incarceration preparation and reentry.[1][2] He is known for his work with high-profile clients including Harvey Weinstein, Luigi Mangione, and Keith Raniere.[3]

Education

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Rothfeld earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from University at Albany, SUNY in 1993.[4] He obtained a Master of Business Administration in finance and international business from the New York University Stern School of Business.[5]

Rothfeld later completed a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Post Graduate Certification in Criminal Sentencing and Sentencing Advocacy, both from Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions.[5]

Career and conviction

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Before his conviction, Rothfeld worked in the financial services industry at organizations such as Arthur Andersen & Co., Sotheby’s, Conectiv, and WJB Capital Group Inc.[4][6][7] WJB Capital dissolved in 2011, followed by lawsuits from investors for fraud [8] and breach of contract.[9]

After being indicted by the Manhattan District Attorney in February 2014, Rothfeld pleaded guilty in a plea deal in July 2015 where he admitted to defrauding investors out of $11 million[10][11] in return for a custodial sentence of 1.5–4.5 years in New York State prison.[12]

In December 2015, Rothfeld was convicted of grand larceny, tax fraud, and falsifying Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regulatory financial statements and began serving his prison sentence which started with five weeks in Rikers Island.[13][14]

He served approximately 18 months in custody and was released in 2017.[3]

Prison consultant career

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Following his release in 2017, Rothfeld founded Inside Outside Ltd.,[3] a prison consulting firm based in New York that provides services related to sentencing preparation, incarceration, and reentry.[4][15][16] Rothfeld has described his work as advocating for the “human rights” of those in custody and helping families manage the logistical and emotional challenges associated with imprisonment.[3]

Rothfeld has served several high-profile criminal cases. He has advised film producer Harvey Weinstein in connection with corrections and health care matters,[17] and was retained by NXIVM founder Keith Raniere to assist with his confinement following Raniere’s 2019 federal conviction.[3] Rothfeld has also worked with former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg prior to his incarceration,[18][19][20] and with Luigi Mangione after he was charged in the killing of UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson.[21][22][23][24][4] His consulting firm has been mentioned in relation to other criminal defendants, including rapper Sheff G, who hired Rothfeld after pleading guilty to attempted murder.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Feuer, Alan (March 4, 2020). "Harvey Weinstein Adds 'Prison Consultant' to His Entourage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 5, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  2. ^ Vance, Cyrus R. (2015). "2015 Annual Report" (PDF). Manhattan District Attorney's Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Well-known inmates hire this consultant to help them navigate life behind bars". NBC News. October 2, 2025. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "Meet Luigi Mangione's high-flying prison consultant Craig Rothfeld". South China Morning Post. January 9, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Abruzzese, Rob (October 17, 2023). "KCCBA hosts seminar on sentencing, featuring expert Craig Rothfeld". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  6. ^ "BrokerCheck - Find a broker, investment or financial advisor". BrokerCheck by FINRA. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  7. ^ Editorial Staff (August 11, 2008). "Floor Brokerages Remake Themselves". Traders Magazine. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  8. ^ Ahmed, Azam (January 3, 2012). "Unable to Raise Capital, Brokerage Firm Calls It Quits". DealBook. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  9. ^ McLaughlin, David (January 3, 2012). "WJB Capital Group Sued in New York State for Alleged Fraud". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  10. ^ McKinleyJr, William Alden and James C. (February 6, 2014). "Ex-Brokerage Executives Charged With Fraud". DealBook. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  11. ^ TheBronxDaily (February 8, 2014). "Executives & Majority Owner Of Wall Street Broker-Dealer Indicted For $11 Million Fraud | The Bronx Daily | Bronx.com". Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  12. ^ "Defunct WJB Capital and two execs hid company's financial distress for years, Finra says". InvestmentNews. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  13. ^ Editorial Staff (February 10, 2014). "WJB Capital Executives Charged in Plan to Prop Up Brokerage". Traders Magazine. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  14. ^ Freifeld, Karen (January 10, 2023). "Longtime Trump CFO Weisselberg gets 5 months in jail in tax fraud case". Reuters. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  15. ^ "Harvey Weinstein's 'prison consultant': Ex-broker-dealer executive and ex-con who advocates for inmates". Financial Planning. March 19, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  16. ^ Ramey, James Fanelli and Corinne. "What's Next for Sean 'Diddy' Combs?". WSJ. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Messina, Toni (March 9, 2020). "How Useful Is A Prison Consultant To Harvey Weinstein". Above the Law. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  18. ^ Italiano, Laura. "As Trump Org's jail-bound ex-CFO testifies, Harvey Weinstein's prison consultant is watching". Business Insider. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  19. ^ "Longtime Trump CFO Weisselberg gets 5 months in jail in tax fraud case". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  20. ^ Italiano, Laura. "Trump's top money man, Allen Weisselberg, is braced to hear the door clang shut at NYC's notorious Rikers jail on Tuesday". Business Insider. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  21. ^ "Accused Assassin Of Unitedhealthcare CEO Retains Prison Consultant". inkl. January 6, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "Luigi Mangione Enlists Former Inmate and Consultant Craig Rothfeld for Defense Strategy Amid Murder Charges". Hoodline. January 2, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  23. ^ Ruiz, Michael (January 6, 2025). "Luigi Mangione hires Harvey Weinstein's prison consultant Craig Rothfeld: report". Fox News. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  24. ^ Silverglate, Roberta (April 2, 2025). "What's Next for Luigi Mangione After DOJ Reveals It Seeks Death Penalty". California Business Journal. Archived from the original on April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  25. ^ Johnson, Richard (April 13, 2025). "RICHARD JOHNSON: Trump giddy over romance between Don Jr.'s ex and Tiger Woods". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 14, 2025.