Victims claim: Former AUSA Tony Bruce – who suborned Bronfman perjury – indicted many innocent people

Frank Parlato was indicted by a grand jury led by former AUSA Anthony Bruce in November 2015.

Parlato, in turn, accused Bruce of fabricating evidence. And suborning the perjury of Seagram’s heiress Clare Bronfman.

A critical document in Parlato’s case was an unsigned Letter of Intent that Bruce masqueraded as an executed document – and then suborned Clare Bronfman’s perjury that she had signed the document when he and she both knew she never had.

Parlato, a newspaper publisher, said he wondered if his case with Bruce was unique.

He started advertising for victims of Bruce in his own newspapers.

The response has been strong as a number of people told their stories – horror stories really – of how this man chose to destroy their lives using the powerful position of assistant US Attorney.

Parlato’s ad reads in part: “Anthony Bruce suborned perjury, obstructed justice, deceived the courts, recklessly and blatantly disregarded evidence that pointed to innocence, lied by omission and committed outright fraud and perjury as a regular pattern of conduct … as an assistant US attorney and sent an unknown number of innocent people to prison.”

Parlato added, “BE NOT AFRAID: If you were a victim of Bruce … contact us. Your inquiry will be kept confidential…. Contact Parlato at 716-990-5740 or email news1926@gmail.com.”

Parlato also wrote a series of articles about his own case that prompted other Bruce victims and attorneys to contact him.

Among the claims made by alleged victims or their lawyers are that Bruce

1. ‘Doctored’ documents before he presented them before the courts.
2. Used informants to lie to the grand jury and the courts.
3. Employed burglars to steal evidence.
4. Misled grand jurors about documents
5. Fabricated scenarios of crimes that never happened
6. Created secret deals to concoct evidence

In reaction to Parlato’s calling out Bruce’s alleged misconduct, Bruce threatened to sue Parlato for libel and defamation.

Parlato said he welcomed the lawsuit since it will give him a chance to depose Bruce.

After indicting Parlato, Bruce petitioned the judge to put a gag order on Parlato. The judge refused, stating Parlato has a First Amendment right to write and speak.

Parlato is still defending his own criminal case.

Immediately after Bruce led a grand jury to indict Parlato, he announced his retirement from the US Attorney’s office.

Questions have arisen as to whether he was improperly influenced or rewarded by Bronfman or her attorney, William Savino.

Of Bruce, one local attorney said, “I witnessed Tony Bruce deceive the courts and obstruct justice. When he got caught red-handed, his office covered for him, but I think it was a real eye-opener for the judge involved.”

Another prominent criminal defense lawyer said, “When Anthony Bruce had a case, I told my clients, ‘There is no point in trying to explain your innocence to the DOJ. You’re going to be indicted.”

A Niagara Falls Ontario attorney who had run-ins with Bruce said Bruce was a dishonest prosecutor.  Another local attorney went further, saying, “Bruce is a criminal.”

Another local criminal lawyer spoke of how Bruce became “giddy” at the prospect of the indictment of his “innocent” client.

Another said she was “…shocked at his unethical behavior.”

It’s possible nobody indicted as many innocent people as Bruce did in his career as prosecutor in the US Attorney’s office.

How many innocent people took plea bargains to avoid the risk of trial and long periods of incarceration after Bruce falsely indicted them?

We aim to find out.

Frank Parlato