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New Evidence Uncovered in Dawn Pasela’s case, substantiating her death was the result of Foul Play

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:13:15 +0000

New Evidence Uncovered in Dawn Pasela’s case, substantiating her death was the result of Foul Play

Whistleblower Dawn Pasela found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was about to testify about Prosecutorial Misconduct by Bennett and Kasaris
Criminal Defendant Marty Maurer lied to investigators, named Potential ‘Persons of Interest’ in Suspicious Death of Dawn Pasela
Kasaris destroyed his computer the day Dawn died
New tip to FBI tip line claims Dawn was murdered
Illegal voice recordings & affair between Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover at issue
Three cell phones found at death scene but not collected by the Parma, Ohio Police
Dawn reached out to Jason Samide shortly before her death – but Samide has repeatedly refused to answer questions about Dawn, then was caught lying
Disbarred federal prosecutor Mark Bennett lied to the Westlake, Ohio Police about illegal voice recordings involving Dawn and his involvement with her.
Yale Law School accepts evidentiary case on behalf of Anthony Viola seeking recordings, additional evidence, while Attorney Kim Corral is advocating for a new investigation into Dawn’s suspicious death

Sworn statement from former Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland confirms Dawn wore a wire in an illegal spying operation and was given all of the evidence in over 1,000 criminal cases to stash at her apartment – seemingly making her a target of anyone who was aware these materials were at her residence.
Expert Pathologist Peter Mazari disputes findings of Medical Examiner, advocates changing cause of Dawn Pasela’s death, joins calls for New Investigation

The death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela as she was scheduled to testify in open court about misconduct committed by Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris has long been seen as too convenient of a coincidence to believe. Her passing, initially attributed to an alcohol overdose with a blood-alcohol content of .59, followed a cursory autopsy and a police investigation that failed to interview a single witness or even collect any evidence. Suspicions of foul play have swirled for years but no hard evidence emerged, leaving Dawn’s family and friends not only heartbroken, but distraught about the circumstances surrounding her death. A detailed narrative and a summary of newly discovered evidence establishes that Dawn’s death was no ‘accidental overdose’ of alcohol but the result of foul play.

Rising Star

Born in 1985, Dawn graduated at the top of her class at both Cleveland State and at Cuyahoga County Community College, where she was President and founder of Phi Theta Kapa, a member of the National Honor Society’s Dean’s List and an important participant in the Criminal Justice Club. One of Dawn’s professors at Tri-C, Detective Arvin Clar, actively recruited Dawn for an open position in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Once there, her superiors quickly recognized her intelligence, work ethic and computer skills. At the same time, the AG’s office established a multi-jurisdictional mortgage fraud task force, consisting of a dozen federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The AG’s Office asked Dawn to interview for the position as Task Force Office Manager with Dan Kasaris, the head of Economic Crimes Prosecutions in Cuyahoga County. Kasaris was impressed with Dawn and, after consultations with federal prosecutor Mark Bennett, hired her. Dawn leapfrogged over older, more experienced employees to land a plum job at age 23 and quickly established herself as an indispensable part of the Task Force, logging evidence in hundreds of criminal cases, helping federal and state prosecutors prepare for trial and digitizing evidence for distribution to defense attorneys.

The Task Force Charges over 1,000 individuals with Racketeering and Felonies

The newly established Mortgage Fraud Task Force wasted little time initiating criminal charges against local real estate investors, real estate agents, loan officers and developers, because, according to the Task Force, these foreclosures were largely the result of fraud. Prosecutions alleged that borrowers were not allowed acquire homes without a down payment and that any properties acquired ‘no money down’ were the result of fraudulent loan applications or misstatements concerning a borrower’s income and assets. However, these prosecutions were all based a novel theory – foreclosures weren’t actually caused by reckless lending programs or lax underwriting by lenders, these companies were actually victims of fraud. Real estate agents, property sellers and investors were accused of duping the largest banks in the country – including JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup’s Argent Mortgage – into making loans that did not comply with their lending guidelines.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason said, "These criminals are mortgage fraud predators and deserve every year in prison that they receive. While these hoodlums were illegally making money, they were devastating our neighborhoods with foreclosures." Despite the tough talk, the Task Force had to pay the salaries of newly hired personnel, so the constituent agencies of the Task Force asked Dawn to complete the necessary applications to secure federal grants to help fund the operation. Shortly thereafter, Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant # 2009-SC - B9-0080 was issued, and federal funds were utilized to pursue Task Force cases. All told, the Task Force prosecuted over 1,000 individuals in both federal and state court and collected nearly $20 million in restitution, according to reports it later provided to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Prosecution of Tony Viola in the ‘Nation’s Largest Mortgage Fraud Case’

Among the individuals prosecuted by the Task Force was business owner Tony Viola, who founded real estate brokerage Realty Corporation of America in Cleveland. Realty Corp had grown into one of the largest locally owned brokerages in Ohio, with over 100 associates, and was focused on residential and commercial brokerage, property management services and real estate auctions. Following the televised raid of a dozen local businesses, including Viola’s headquarters in Downtown Cleveland, the Task Force prosecuted Viola simultaneously in both state and federal court on identical charges. According to indictments, press releases, and statements made to the media, federal prosecutor Mark Bennett and state prosecutor Dan Kasaris alleged that Viola devised the “Nation’s largest mortgage fraud scheme” and stole nearly $46 million by duping JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup into making ‘no money down’ mortgage loans that did not meet banks’ underwriting guidelines. But the charges against Viola contained a fatal flaw – incorrect statements that Viola owned and controlled “Family Title Services” and “Transcontinental Lending Group,” when such was not the case. Viola’s colleagues voiced support for his claim of innocence. Much to Kasaris and Bennett’s surprise, Viola demanded the government produce all evidence in its possession, answered any questions posed by journalists, refused to plead guilty and immediately began to prepare for trial.

Evidence at the Task Force Vanishes

Viola’s attorneys devised a simple defense: He never had anything to do with mortgages, never received one cent from businesses he didn’t own and was not involved as an employee, shareholder or officer of these firms. Viola’s defense team retained a forensic accountant to prepare a report stating Viola was not involved with these mortgage and title businesses and never received any money from them. Shortly after criminal cases were filed, Viola’s lawyers asked the government to turn over computers -- seized in televised raids -- from these businesses. After months of delay, Mark Bennett informed defense attorneys the computers in question were “lost.” Attorney Leonard Carr represented individuals who gave the Prosecutors computers and later wrote “the computers in question may have been lost or misplaced within the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.”

Kathryn Clover becomes a Government Witness and Assists Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris in dozens of Criminal Cases

Kathryn Clover started a modeling agency when she was in her early 20s, then began investing profits into income producing real estate. Clover teamed up with other real estate investors, including Keller Williams agent Paul Lesniak and other business partners, to accumulate a portfolio of nearly 100 investment properties. Clover and her partners acquired properties through several real estate brokerages, including Viola’s firm, and later launched their own real estate business. Several years following her acquisition of properties, Clover struggled to rent one of her houses and – according to her husband Matt Fairfield -- committed arson there to pocket a large insurance payout, then filed bankruptcy to discharge mortgage debts. Insurance adjusters found the fire and bankruptcy suspicious and corporate fraud investigators contacted law enforcement to report their concerns. Shortly thereafter, federal prosecutor Mark Bennett targeted Clover for prosecution for arson and bankruptcy fraud, as Clover later discharged over $1 million in debt and filed a false police report, claiming she was robbed of her wedding ring by a person of color, so she wouldn’t have to declare this asset as part of her bankruptcy filing.

Clover retained criminal defense attorney Michael Goldberg, who advised her to be honest in interviews with law enforcement officials. In one such meeting, Clover first met Kasaris. Realizing she was nervous, and attracted to the then 27-year-old former model, Kasaris told Clover she could avoid criminal charges if she assisted him with other mortgage fraud investigations. She instantly agreed, began meeting with Kasaris directly, then working with him inside the prosecutor’s office. Kasaris arranged for Clover to attend law school at no cost through a “Barrister’s Scholarship” from the Cleveland State University College of Law then retained Clover as his paralegal inside the Task Force. In exchange, Clover agreed to testify in front of grand juries to secure indictments on behalf of the Task Force.

A sexual relationship between Kasaris and Clover commenced almost immediately; the couple was spotted together at a baseball game and at local bars in Lakewood, Ohio. Clover’s husband Matt stated under oath that he became concerned Clover “was meeting prosecutor Dan Kasaris outside of the office at all hours of the day and night” and saw “text messages” of a sexual nature between them. When he confronted her, she admitted the affair, telling Fairfield she was “in love with Dan Kasaris.” Fairfield threatened to inform the US Attorney about the affair, but Fairfield was promptly arrested and imprisoned by none other than Dan Kasaris and Arvin Clar.

Back at the Task Force, Dawn was surprised at Clover’s dual role – both as a government witness, testifying as the Task Force’s “go to” witness in grand jury proceedings and at criminal trials, while also simultaneously serving as a paralegal for Kasaris, sitting in on meetings with law enforcement officials and during interviews with other government witnesses. Dawn knew something was amiss, because a fundamental rule of law enforcement is that during witness interviews, individuals should be separated, interviewed alone and instructed to avoid discussing details of any crime with other witnesses so that trial testimony is based on an individual’s actual knowledge of events. As time went on, and with Matt Fairfield in jail, Kasaris and Clover became more brazen carrying out their affair, often going out together in public. On several occasions, Clover and Kasaris even left the Prosecutor’s office together in the middle of the day and returned several hours later, sparking rumors of rampant, mid-day sexual activities. One of Clover’s friends, Bryan Butler, saw some of the sexually explicit text messages between Clover and Kasaris, and claims Clover considered Kasaris a stalker and a sexual predator.

Bennett and Kasaris Utilize Illegal Tactics obtain Viola’s Trial Strategy

Viola’s simultaneous prosecution in both state and federal court – at the same time and on the same charges – was virtually unheard of and the subject of a media frenzy. Initially basking in favorable coverage, Bennett and Kasaris were surprised that Viola’s real estate business survived their onslaught and that Viola’s friends and supporters organized a series of events to raise money for legal fees and identify defense witnesses for the upcoming trials. Prosecutors worried their high-profile case against Viola would fall apart if Viola could establish he never originated or obtained any mortgages and never received any money from suspect transactions. Unwilling to admit error or dismiss the case, and not expecting Viola to force the government to put on two criminal trials, Bennett and Kasaris initially claimed they “lost” computers central to his defense, but Viola still refused to plead guilty. Later, Bennett and Kasaris hatched a plan to find out as much as they could about Viola’s defense trial preparation. And to do so, they once again turned to Dawn Pasela. Even though Dawn was not trained as an undercover officer, Kasaris provided her with a wire and directed her to pose as a graduate student studying criminal justice and working with local defense attorneys. Pasela met Viola at a legal defense fundraiser at AJ Rocco’s in downtown Cleveland, claiming she was assisting defense counsel on similar cases. She offered to share information, support his defense and met with Viola on several occasions – one discussion took place with Viola’s attorney while another meeting was at Viola’s real estate office – but the real purpose of these conversations was for prosecutors to obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. In addition to these recordings, Kasaris gave Dawn cash and directed her to donate those funds towards Viola’s legal fees so the Task Force could use her cancelled check to identify the law firm's bank account, track investigative expenses and identify potential defense witnesses. Prosecutors acted on the information gleaned from these recordings – Mark Bennett obtained an Ex Parte order limiting Viola’s defense, while Dan Kasaris tipped off FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf off about who was organizing fundraisers on Viola’s behalf. Agent Kassouf promptly threatened those individuals (including real estate financier Brian Stark) with arrest if they continued to assist Viola.

Confrontation with Prosecutor Kasaris on the Eve of Viola’s federal trial

Meanwhile, the Task Force continued to pursue its cases on the theory that banks themselves were innocent victims of mortgage fraud schemes, but no one at the Task Force ever interviewed any of these “victims” until shortly before Viola’s first trial. Given the large number of transactions at issue in multiple criminal cases, Prosecutors Bennett and Kasaris asked Argent Executive Steve Newcombe to spend a full week in Cleveland to review transactions listed in various indictments, including the Viola case, shortly before his testimony at Viola’s first trial, where the bank would be portrayed as an innocent victim of Viola’s mortgage fraud schemes, duped into making ‘no money down’ loans.

In advance of Newcombe’s visit, Dawn prepared the conference room by first reviewing indictments, then identifying all loans and corresponding mortgage files originated by the lender Newcombe represented, Argent Mortgage. Dawn – joined by FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf, Mark Bennett, Dan Kasaris and Kathryn Clover – were a part of a week-long marathon review of mortgage files and loan documents. Dawn took notes and gathered information while Kathryn Clover made a spreadsheet with details of each transaction. But the meeting took a surprising turn when the banker – apparently for the first time – examined the files from the specific properties at issue in Viola’s case.

“We never should have approved these loans,” Newcombe told stunned members of the Task Force, including FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf, who was preparing an FBI 302 Interview Summary. “These loans were submitted as no money down, without income or asset information. Our employees were authorized to approve loans like this, but these deals were a stretch. I don’t think there was fraud, I just think we said OK to some questionable loans, and it’s not clear to me that anyone committed fraud.”

Clover continued to enter comments into her spreadsheet confirming lender employees knew borrowers were not making a down payment, but Dawn was shocked by this statement. Moments later, when bankers reviewed their own approval sheets on loans in Viola’s case, written documents established that banks authorized borrowers to receive cash back on properties referenced in Viola’s indictment. Dawn immediately realized what these documents meant: Viola – and all of the other defendants – were innocent. Banks weren’t tricked. No one duped any lenders into making any ‘no money down’ mortgage loans. Moreover, the government’s theory that banks were somehow “victims” in these cases struck Dawn as inconceivable. Prosecutors Bennett and Kasaris had been telling journalists that the “victims” were tenants residing in substandard housing, or neighbors who lived near houses that went into foreclosure and remained unkempt or became magnets for crime. Now, the government’s case seemed impossible to justify. Not only were prosecutors using their authority to defend the actions of lenders, who actually approved these loans in writing, but in doing so, they were prosecuting and imprisoning innocent citizens in the process.

After Newcombe left the Prosecutor’s Office for the day, Dawn confronted Kasaris, asking him how criminal cases could continue without any factual basis. Unhappy with her outburst, Kasaris told Dawn she was just a secretary, keep her opinions to herself, or she’d be out of a job. Dawn left the office in tears. Days later, however, she located the FBI Interview summary where Newcombe stated that lender employees were authorized to approve ‘no money down, cash back’ mortgage loans and made a copy. Dawn also made copies of the lender closing instructions and underwriting worksheets in which lenders approved – in writing and before closing -- ‘no money down’ mortgage loans to borrowers without requiring income or assets. She also secured copies of lender program guidelines that proved the government’s theory of the case was wrong – banks promoted, offered and signed off on the very ‘no money down, cash back’ mortgage loans prosecutors alleged Viola and others defrauded them into making.

Viola is convicted in Federal Court

At Viola’s first trial in federal court, Kathryn Clover testified that Viola owned Family Title and that he told her to make false statements on her loan applications. Bankers told jurors they did not offer or permit ‘no money down’ loans. Steve Newcombe falsely said he was not intimately familiar with the particular loans in Viola’s case, but added that Argent did not permit ‘no money down’ mortgages, and that if anyone obtained such mortgages, it was the result of fraud. Having established that fraud took place, and tying Viola to scams through the testimony of Kathryn Clover, and with Viola’s defense compromised due to the intrusion by prosecutors into his trial preparations, Viola was convicted after a two month long federal trial.

After Viola’s Conviction in Federal Court, Dawn Pasela Contacts Viola

Shortly after the jury verdict of guilty, but prior to the federal sentencing, Viola remained free on bond. At that point, Dawn contacted Viola, confessed to the spying operation and provided him with federal evidence withheld before the first trial but that she believed proved his innocence. Viola’s initial defense was that if any fraud took place at mortgage businesses, he was not involved and should not have been charged, but Dawn advised Viola to present an even simpler defense: it doesn’t matter who owned what company, or what Kathryn Clover says, because there was no mortgage fraud, period. Lenders eagerly approved ‘no money down’ loans in writing, then “waived” income and down payment requirements. Armed with documents confirming as much, Viola and Dawn worked together to prepare for the second trial before he was imprisoned on federal charges.

Viola’s Second Trial

At this second trial, Viola represented himself from jail, while Dawn agreed to testify, as a whistleblower, about extraordinary misconduct at the Task Force, including:

That Bennett and Kasaris were so desperate to find out about Viola’s defense trial strategy that they ordered Dawn to record a series of post-indictment conversations with him over a 24-month period to obtain confidential defense trial strategy information, while never providing these tapes to the defense before trial.
The suppression of exculpatory evidence proving the innocence of many defendants.
The computers Bennett and Kasaris claimed were “lost” were actually destroyed – statements later supported by both Matt Fairfield and Bryan Butler.
That Dawn was given government funds to donate towards Viola’s legal fees so prosecutors could use her cancelled checks to identify then subpoena Viola’s law firm’s bank account, track investigative expenses, and identify potential defense witnesses, illegally interfering with Viola’s constitutional right to prepare for trial.
The romantic relationship between Kasaris and Clover; and
That Dawn’s name on an Evidence Log was routinely forged.

Dawn was subpoenaed to testify at Viola’s second trial, and Even Provided Viola with a list of questions to ask her

As the second trial got underway, Bennett and Kasaris were certain Viola would be convicted a second time and sentenced to an additional decade or two in prison, but the first sign of trouble was when Viola confronted Kathryn Clover with documents from her own mortgage applications. These documents stated that she was not making any down payment, forcing her to concede her loan applications did not contain false statements. Clover also admitted Viola did not own Family Title or Transcontinental Lending, then recanted her federal court testimony and even took the Fifth Amendment. Viola then confronted bankers with their own documents and presented evidence of his innocence to shocked government witnesses. Momentum was on Viola’s side and his supporters who came to court were confident he was winning. Bennett and Kasaris started to worry they may lose the trial but when they saw Dawn’s name on the defense witness list, they were terrified that all Task Force prosecutions would be called into question if she testified.

Kasaris told Viola to remove Dawn from his witness list and threatened Dawn with “indictment,” and “prosecution,” if she testified. Detective Arvin Clar and Kasaris went to Dawn’s apartment on multiple occasions in the days before her death to threaten her with prison because – according to Kasaris’ own written statements – she violated a “confidentiality agreement” she signed with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office when she contacted Viola to provide him with exculpatory evidence. In fear for her personal safety, Dawn left her apartment and hid at her parents’ house.

Kasaris claimed Dawn Pasela Violated a Confidentiality Agreement and that would be prosecuted

According to sworn statements by Dawn’s parents, Karen and Edward Pasela, (uploaded to the www.JusticeforDawn.com Evidence Locker), Kasaris not only threatened Dawn, but also showed up at their home as well. Kasaris claimed he needed to get inside their house to look for “computers.” According to these same statements, Dawn spoke with Viola during the second trial, and her Mother Karen saw Dawn visibly crying and shaking when she was talking to Viola about the threats made by Dan Kasaris. Days later, with Viola’s trial winding down, Dawn moved back to her apartment, but her Father Ed was worried because he hadn’t heard from her, and because she did not appear in court as scheduled. When Ed went to Dawn’s apartment and no one answered the door, the police were called for a welfare check. Moments later, six officers immediately arrived, opened the door, announced that Dawn was dead and prevented Mr. Pasela from entering the apartment or seeing Dawn’s body. Only hours after her death and well before any toxicology report or the coroner’s investigation commenced, Kasaris informed Judge Daniel Gaul, who presided over the second trial, that Dawn passed away from an “overdose”, Ohio v. Viola, case # 10-cr-536877. Although it hardly seemed to matter at that point, Viola was acquitted on all charges, prompting Judge Daniel Gaul to take the extraordinary step of stating that Viola is innocent, was wrongfully incarcerated, and that Kasaris committed “misconduct” throughout his case, https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2012/04/real_estate_broker_anthony_vio.html

Cover up after Dawn’s Death

Not only was Edward Pasela prevented from viewing his daughter’s body, the Coroner refused to allow family members to see Dawn after she was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office. At the same time, Kasaris informed police Dawn had substance abuse issues and that her death should be treated simply as an overdose. In short, there was no need to conduct an extensive review of the case – especially since Kasaris never informed police and that Dawn was scheduled to testify as a witness in Viola’s case. Dr. Dan Galita of the Cuyahoga Medical Examiner’s Office said his office was never told Dawn was a witness in Viola’s case, or that she wore a wire at the request of Bennett and Kasaris. At the funeral home, at a private viewing, family members noticed that Dawn’s face did not look natural and may have shown signs of bruising or swelling. Yet even when Ripepi Funeral Home of Parma redid Dawn’s make-up, it failed to conceal the marks on her face, a possible sign of a struggle.

Despite an acquittal on the same charges at the second trial, Viola remained in federal prison for a decade largely because U.S District Court Judge Donald Nugent refused multiple requests for a hearing so Viola could present – in federal court -- the same proof of innocence he utilized at his second trial in state court. Viola also requested – on multiple occasions and in numerous court filings -- an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Pasela’s death, but those requests were also denied. Undeterred, and also harboring doubts that Dawn’s death was accidental, Viola and his private investigator, former FBI Agent Bob Friedrick, began obtaining documents and interviewing witnesses. The first big break in the case was a letter from the Ohio Attorney General stating that Dawn never signed – much violated – any ‘confidentiality agreement’ – completely disproving the basis for Kasaris’ threats to imprison Dawn.

The Ohio Attorney General later confirmed that Dawn never Signed, much less Violated, any “Confidentiality Agreement.”

Around the same time, the Pasela family voiced their concerns in sworn statements provided to the then United States Attorney (and later head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) Steven Dettelbach, but Dettelbach stated in writing he would not look into allegations of misconduct, while Bennett asked the federal courts to strike the Pasela sworn statements from the court record, calling them “frivolous,” USA v. Viola, Case No. 14-3348, Document # 36. Despite Bennett’s efforts, both Karen and Edward Pasela continued to speak out; they hold prosecutors responsible for Dawn’s death and have repeatedly asked for “an entirely new investigation.”

Marty Maurer’s Long Criminal Record, Ties to the Mortgage Business and Refusal to Answer Questions Creates Suspicion

At Dawn’s funeral, a former acquaintance and boyfriend, Marty Maurer, told the Pasela family that he loved Dawn and that he needed immediate access to her apartment, supposedly to retrieve a teddy bear for placement in her casket. Maurer – also during the funeral -- demanded to know when Dawn’s toxicology reports would be available. Maurer, likely a government informant with ties to the mortgage business as an employee of Oak Mortgage, was the last person to see Dawn alive, arriving shortly after Dawn’s folks left her place the night before she died. Maurer is suspected of having knowledge of what took place inside Dawn’s apartment. He has a lengthy criminal record but hasn’t spent time in prison and refused to cooperate with an investigation into Dawn’s death, a possible sign that he has been protected by law enforcement. To view Maurer’s extensive criminal record, please see Cuyahoga Heights Court Case # TRD 00131, Parma Case #15056346, Ohio v. Maurer, Cuyahoga County Case # 584579-14-cr and Case # 621527-17-cr, Brecksville Case # 200615038, North Royalton Mayor's Court case 17-01037, Broadview Heights case # 03-00522, Garfield Heights Muni Court TRC0607116B, Berea Muni Court case TRC06340, Ohio Highway Patrol, 2014 – DUI, Cleveland Muni Court cases 2020-TRD-010450, 2014-TRC-004276, and 2012-TRD-027407.

In 2016, Maurer’s Father died of a drug overdose in 2016, https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2018/10/two_cleveland_clinic_doctors_a.html, but Maurer – previously convicted of drug possession and living in the same house – was never questioned by the North Royalton, Ohio police about where his Father may have obtained drugs. Maurer lives in North Royalton, just blocks from the home of Daniel Kasaris, who was a city official at that time.

Injustices and Prosecutorial Misconduct Feature Prominently In Multiple Criminal Cases prosecuted by Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Daniel Kasaris

Courts of Appeals have frequently overturned convictions in cases prosecuted by Dan Kasaris, including Ohio v. Peter Beck, First Appellate District Court of Appeals Case No. C 150539 and the more recent decision by the 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals to overturn the conviction of Ken Mills in 2022. In September, 2023 a jury verdict in Ohio v. Keaton, Mahoning County, 2022 CRB 390, confirmed that Kasaris once again perpetrated a fraud on the court by presenting his latest girlfriend Kelly Connors as a “victim” and a “government witnesses” without disclosing the nature of his relationship with Connors to jurors, courts or defense counsel. In addition to a sexual relationship with Connors, Kasaris also maintains controls over her finances through a “Special Needs Trust” and has a Power of Attorney over Connors – additional facts that have never been disclosed to the defense or the Court, please see Viola v. Kasaris, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Case No. CV-21-951041, Court of Appeals No. 23-112497.

Kasaris is also involved in a sexual relationship with government witness Kelly Connors, who Kasaris maintains a power of attorney over and is trustee of her Special Needs Trust – but Kasaris never obtained permission from the Ohio Attorney General to engage in these outside activities. Connors and Kasaris had a fight in 2020 and separated, at which time Connors began assisting Tony Viola’s investigative team by providing information and written statements to Viola. Later, Connors began publishing Kasaris emails and posting comments on social media sites about Kasaris and his role in the death of Kasaris Office Manager Dawn Pasela. Later Connors and Kasaris reconciled and in Ohio v. Keaton, Mahoning County, 2022 CRB 390, Kasaris perpetrated a fraud on the court by presenting his girlfriends Kelly Connors, Kathryn Clover and others as a “victims” or “witnesses” in criminal cases without disclosing the nature of his relationship with these women to jurors, courts or defense counsel. In addition to a sexual relationship with Kelly Connors, Dan Kasaris also controls her finances through a “Special Needs Trust” and maintains a Power of Attorney over Connors – additional facts that have never been disclosed to the defense or the Court.

The married Kasaris, who campaigns for elective office in North Royalton as a “family man,” makes little effort to conceal his affairs with government witnesses. Kasaris enjoys the limelight and frequently poses for Facebook photos with Connors. He previously entertained Clover baseball games, local bars in Downtown Cleveland, invited her to restaurants in nearby Lakewood and to his apartment in the Pine Forest Apartment Complex in North Royalton. The humulation is often too much for Kasaris’ wife Susan, who sometimes takes to Facebook to complain about Dan Kasaris’ frequent affairs, his alcohol abuse and verbal assaults, including calling his own daughters “fat.”

In 2025, Kasaris and his wife Susan divorced.

An Avalanche of New Evidence

While Viola was in prison, his investigative team obtained confirmation that FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf listened to the tapes Dawn made, promoting federal Judge Susan Paradise Baxter to order the FBI to produce these recordings. Agent Kassouf claimed he couldn’t comply because he sent the recordings to the Task Force building and the FBI no longer possessed them. In the same litigation, the FBI claimed it was unaware of 10,000 records in the FBI records system and admitted making false statements about evidence in Viola’s case, Viola v. US Department of Justice, et. al., 15-cv-242, W.D. Pa. As a result, Viola was released early from prison. He was immediately contacted by other mortgage fraud defendants prosecuted by the Task Force, who believed that the evidence presented at Viola’s second trial likely exonerates them as well. What Bennett and Kasaris had tried to avoid for a decade was quickly becoming possible – dozens of defendants and attorneys working together to have their convictions vacated.

In 2020, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office produced over 600 pages of Kasaris-Clover emails confirming their affair and that prosecutors committed a fraud on the Court by presenting Kathryn Clover as a “fact witness” when she testified in criminal cases. Prosecutors never disclosed the Kasaris-Clover affair or that Clover was actually an employee of the prosecutor’s office who accessed and destroyed evidence in mortgage fraud cases. Covering up this affair creates a motive for foul play, as Dawn planned on sharing details of what she had observed between Clover and Kasaris.

Later, multiple individuals contacted Viola’s investigative team to provide information about misconduct committed by Dan Kasaris and his illicit sexual relationships with government witnesses in criminal cases. These individuals also alleged they possessed recordings of Kasaris talking about Dawn’s murder or knew about his role in her death, resulting in litigation to compel these individuals to provide evidence and share everything they knew about Kasaris’ misconduct – and what happened to Dawn Pasela.

On June 2, 2022, evidence was presented in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court detailing a cover up concerning the circumstances surrounding Dawn’s death, Viola v. Kasaris, et. al., Case No. CV-21-951041. At that hearing, witness testimony established that Kasaris brother John Patrick has frequently mentioned Dawn’s “murder.” Counsel for the Kasaris family, David Comstock, did not contest this claim but argued that Viola’s legal work was frivolous and that state court is not the appropriate forum for his claims. Comstock also acknowledged that the statements in Viola’s lawsuit were true, and conceded the documents presented in the litigation, including Kasaris-Clover emails, Kasaris’ wife Susan’s Facebook messages complaining about his affair with Clover and Kasaris’ threats to prosecute Dawn for violating a nonexistent “confidentiality agreement” were all authentic. Still, Comstock said he would not address any factual allegations because “Facts don’t matter.”

Reminger Partner and Attorney John Patrick Stated that Dawn Pasela the victim of a “Murder”

Viola argued that local attorneys are well aware of Kasaris misconduct and rampant sexual improprieties, but continue to assist him in avoiding any consequences. These lawyers include Jaye Schlachet, John Patrick and David Comstock, all of whom have conceded to the facts set forth in this article at an evidentiary hearing in the courtroom of Judge John P. O’Donnell, claimed they had no obligation to report misconduct by Kasaris because of Attorney-Client Privilege – a position adopted by Judge O’Donnell. Judge O’Donnell also refused to permit discovery or depositions, frustratin any efforts to obtain commnications between Kasaris and others with knowledge of his affairs and his involvement in Dawn’s death.

Government attorneys have joined in the cover up of misconduct by Kasaris. For instance, the United States Attorney’s Office in Cleveland stated in writing that Clover committed perjury while testifying in criminal cases, USA v. Clover, 10-cr-75, Docket # 46, but no prosecutor has ever withdrawn her false testimony at criminal trials, preferring that innocent citizens remain imprisoned. Viola argues that the crime fraud exception applies to communications between an attorney and client which are “intended in some way to facilitate or to actively conceal a crime or fraud.” Sutton v. Stevens Painton Corp., 193 Ohio App.3d 68, 96, 951 N.E.2d 91 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011). Courts have repeatedly held that attorney-client privilege may not be asserted to conceal an attorney’s cooperation with the client’s wrongdoing, and licensed attorneys are required to report misconduct and criminal activities of clients and other lawyers. Since attorneys are aware of the Kasaris-Clover affair, the Kasaris-Connors affair and the illegal undercover operation that led to the death of Dawn Pasela, and discussions about Dawn’s “Murder,” a court will now determine whether or not their actions are lawful and whether or not these attorneys will face any consequences for covering up misconduct by Dan Kasaris. To review court filings, read the Kasaris-Clover emails, view Susan Kasaris’ Facebook posts or read Kelly Connors’ communications and other key documents, please see Viola v. Kasaris, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Case No. CV-21-951041, Court of Appeals No. 23-112497, or visit the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett Fired by Department of Justice for Misconduct, Suspended from the Practice of Law by the Ohio Supreme Court

In 2020, Mark Bennett was fired by the Justice Department for serious misconduct and criminal activities and was later suspended from the practice of law for two years, case number 2022-034; Department of Justice Inspector General Report Number 21-005, Ohio Supreme Court Case Number 2023-0471. According to the Inspector General, Bennett “physically and verbally harassed” women for two decades, demanded nude photos from colleagues, committed “sexual imposition”, insisted on “a sexual favor in exchange for a letter of recommendation” for an intern because he was excited about the “size” of her “buttocks.” Bennett was caught “deliberately running his arm across the breast,” of a colleague and purchased jewelry for married co-workers. Bennett also lied to investigators about utilizing a myriad of social media platforms to troll women on line – Bennett used Snapchat, Facebook messenger, Twitter, Skype messages and other means to solicit sex. Bennett falsely claimed he didn’t log onto social media sites from his government computer, saying he “completely avoided those sites” because he feared his computer could be infected with “viruses.” A forensic analysis of Bennett’s computer showed he logged into Facebook and Twitter “more than 25 times” and made a number of false statements to investigators.

In addition to the Inspector General Investigation, The FBI and Justice Department also blamed Mark Bennett for making material misrepresentations about evidence in the criminal cases, Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, et. al., 15-cv-242, WD Pa, document numbers 99 and 164. Yale University Law School represents Viola in a case where Bennett concealed an affair between Kasaris and Clover, used Clover’s perjured testimony in criminal cases, and shifted exculpatory evidence before Viola's first trial from the US Attorney’s Office to a multi-jurisdictional task force location where Dawn was the Office Manager. This litigation also seeks an order compelling the government to provide the tapes made by Dawn while she was wearing a wire, along with any notes or evidence from those conversations, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

According to Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Bennett is a threat to the public and unfit to practice law at all, Disciplinary Counsel v. Bennett, Slip Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-4752.

Trail of Death follows Dan Kasaris

The perfectly timed death of Dawn Pasela was not the only time Dan Kasaris benefitted from the death of someone closely involved in his prosecutions. Prior to the death of Dawn Pasela, Kasaris charged Shaker Heights, Ohio physician Bruce Feldman with proscribing drugs illegally to patients with bogus health complaints, but failed to properly word an indictment that contained any criminal activities. Kasaris charged Dr. Feldman with 207 counts, but later was forced to admit he improperly worded charging documents. Later, Feldman supposedly jumped to his death off the Valley View bridge and landed nearly 200 feet below.

In 2020, Kasaris – an economic crimes and financial fraud prosecutor -- hired a publicist to help secure television appearances, including on the Oxygen Network, where he discussed the dismemberment of a murder victim’s body found in a freezer. And in 2021, Kasaris’ cousin, Francis Rydarowicz, was found guilty of stabbing his wife to death in 2019 at a hotel and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Missing computers and questionable voice recordings are recurring issues in cases prosecuted by Daniel Kasaris -- electronic records central in a corruption case against Cuyahoga County’s former Information Technology lawyer Emily McNeeley allegedly disappeared from the county’s internal computer network, while government witness Robert Harmon stated under oath that Kasaris directed him to manufacture fake voice recordings to assist Kasaris in his prosecution of Ronald Dudas.

Jason Samide Threates to Sue Dawn’s Family

After Dawn’s death garnered more attention, several individuals reached out to the team investigating her suspicious death to relay information about Jason Samide’s friendship with Dawn. Jason, who had close connections with law enforcement and worked at several companies in their security departments, went to school together. Several people confirmed that Jason and Dawn were not only acquainted but that Jason had romantic feelings for Dawn. It’s unclear if any romantic relationship took place, but Dawn reached out to Jason for advice during Viola’s second trial — and only days before her death — stating she was afraid for her safety and that she was not sure what to do. Jason told Dawn he wasn’t able to help her, but later was overwhelmed with guilt after he learned of her death. Several years later, Jason admitted to a grlfriend that he was aware Dawn was afraid for her life and he regretted not helping her.

When private investigator Bob Friedrick approached Jason and asked him to share what he knew, he refused, but confirmed his role in a short meeting with the Pasela family. Jason claimed he would conduct his own secret investigation, instead, in 2025, he threatened to sue the Pasela family for including his name on the Justice for Dawn website. Because Samide never identified any statements on line that were not accurate, no changes to the website were made, and the Justice for Dawn investigative team is continuing to seek new leads and information in the case.

Newly Obtained Evidence and Medical Examiner Records Raise Even More Questions about how Dawn was treated and about her death

For over a decade, prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris maintained that Dawn never had access to, nor could she have provided, any evidence to Tony Viola. However, those statements were proven false when Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland stated under oath that he directed Dawn to remove hard drives from the Task Force that contained evidence in hundreds of state and federal criminal cases and bring that evidence to her apartment. Cleveland’s sworn testimony not only bolsters the contention that investigating the disappearance of Dawn’s computer is central to this case, but also proves that Bennett and Kasaris lied about Dawn’s role at the Task Force. According to Mr. Cleland, Dawn was directed to

Wear a recording device to obtain information and to donate money from her checking account to [Viola]. She understood that the Task Force would reimburse her for the donation. … Dawn was permitted by the Ohio Organized Crime Commission to take home with her a backup hard drive of the computer/server holding the files of the task force. The back-up hard drive contained confidential information and data on it. … [Later,] The back-up hard drive could not be located.”

The Cleland declaration also establishes that Dawn possessed key evidence at the exact same time that phone records and Facebook messages prove she was in communication with Tony about misconduct in his case.

When Viola met with Dr. Dan Galita, the physician at the Medical Examiner’s Office who performed the autopsy on Dawn, Dr. Galita said he was unaware that Dawn wore a wire or was scheduled to testify – and said if he was aware of these facts, he would have noted them in his report. Dr. Galita pledged to reopen the case and change the cause of Dawns death from “accidental overdose” to “Undetermined” if any law enforcement agency launched a new investigation or if the Parma Police turned their investigative file over to the Ohio Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit.

When Dawn’s family authorized the release of additional records from the Medical Examiner’s Office, Viola’s investigative team learned that three cell phones were found at Dawn’s apartment and that one showed an outbound made well after the stated time of her death. Newly obtained autopsy photos showed bruising on Dawn’s neck and a broken necklace – likely indications of a struggle. And while the appearance of six officers for a welfare check always raised questions, new evidence showed that these same officers never called an ambulance to Dawn’s apartment – instead, a mortuary service was summoned. Another newly obtained photograph has a picture of an energy drink – something Dawn didn’t like, and that her parents didn’t recall seeing when they left her apartment for the last time. All told, significant new evidence indicates that others were present in Dawn’s apartment the night she died, and that a cover up took place, because responding officers left the scene and no one ever signed the police report.

This new evidence – particularly outbound calls on the cell phone – created fresh uncertainty about the exact timing of death. Her parents saw her the evening before she died, yet when her body was found, Dawn was wearing the same clothes she had on the previous day. Responding officers reported advanced “lividity” when they discovered Dawn’s body, indicating she may have been dead for 18-24 hours before the police arrived. But photos showed the heat was cranked up in Dawn’s apartment while the window was open – a possible attempt to accelerate body decomposition. In order to believe the police findings, one must also believe that, as soon as Dawn’s parents left her apartment, Dawn immediately purchased several bottles of vodka, instantly guzzled herself to death and died – all in just a few hours on April 24 – but somehow also made a phone call eight hours later.^. But if Dawn passed away on the 24^th, that’s closer to the time when Kasaris was present at or near Dawn’s apartment. And on April 25, the day Dawn’s body was discovered, public records obtained from the City of North Royalton confirm that Dan Kasaris disposed of his old computer and acquired a brand new one.

Given all of the new evidence in Dawn’s case, the Pasela family made an appointment with the Parma, Ohio Police Department to share evidence and formally request a new investigation into their daughter’s death. The police initially agreed to meet, but claimed they were not able to locate their own police reports from Dawn’s death. When the Pasela family replied that they possessed the report and would bring it to the meeting, the police later claimed that they, too, located these documents,

After a lengthy meeting, Parma Lieutenant Daniel Ciryak informed Ed and Karen Pasela that the City of Parma would turn Dawn’s file over to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Cold Case Unit and the Medical Examiner indicated they would change the cause of Dawn’s death to “undetermined” pending the new investigation. But the Parma Police never followed through – instead making various excuses as to why they had not acted, then stopped accepting calls from Dawn’s family.

Attorney Kim Corral, Uncovered.com Lead the Efforts for a New Investigation into what happened to Dawn, while the Actions Of the Parma Police Prompt Allegations of a Cover Up

In early 2023, Attorney Kimberly Kendall Corral filed a petition to vacate Tony Viola’s federal conviction, based on the destruction of exculpatory evidence by prosecutors, use of coerced testimony and the undisclosed use of an “advocate witness” at trial, In re: Anthony Viola, Case No. 23-3050, Sixth Circuit. Ms. Corral also began assisting the Pasela family, and formally asked law enforcement agencies to re-open their investigation into what happened to Dawn. A review of the case by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff found that the Parma Police failed to collect any evidence from Dawn’s apartment. In fact, Parma Police failed to follow any procedures, interview any witnesses or investigate why Dawn’s computer -- with all of the Task Force’s evidence on it -- was missing. Police also never “canvassed” the area, never obtained surveillance video and didn’t even bother to collect the three cell phones. Cuyahoga County Sheriff Detective John Morgan reviewed the case file and concluded the case should be re-opened and witnesses interviewed but despite a directive from the County Sheriff to investigate the case, and a statement by the Sheriff that they would pursue leads, Parma refused to take any action or relinquish the file so other agencies could investigate. And when the Medical Examiner was provided documents that the Sheriff suggested the case be re-opened, they went back on their earlier pledge to change the cause of Dawn’s death. Instead, that office now stated that they would only change the cause of death after an investigation was concluded.

Later, in an unrecorded interview conducted by Parma Police Chief Joseph Bobak, Kasaris was questioned about Dawn’s death. While the contents of the interview are unknown, there is now a formal record that Kasaris was questioned, and if any false statements were made, that interview creates a basis for a perjury or obstruction of justice charge against Kasaris at a later date.

In 2023, after an exhaustive review of evidence, Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, accepted Dawn’s case and is providing investigative resources and assistance, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela. Uncovered also attracted media coverage of what happened to Dawn. All coverage of her death and the prosecution of Tony Viola can be found at www.FreeTonyViola.com/Press.

Seeking Justice Investigative Series, Mark Bennett’s Threats to sue the Series Creators and a $10,000 Reward leading to the Arrest of a Suspect in Dawn's Murder

In 2024, three cold case experts with varied backgrounds -- Dana Poll, Lexi Kakis and Andrea Cipriano – formed Seeking Justice to highlight meritorious cases that should be re-opened, then launched a weekly YouTube Live Investigative Series revealed by Seeking Justice revealed mounting evidence that the death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela was the result of foul play, and examined new clues and fresh witness statements about Dawn’s death. To watch the series trailer, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSgNXqGdljc. Just as the series was about to launch, fired federal prosecutor Mark Bennett threatened litigation (that communication and the full response by Seeking Justice are available in the Evidence Locker of FreeTonyViola.com), Bennett complains that other news outlets have defamed him – and he expects Seeking Justice will also defame him, so he threatened litigation. In its response, Seeking Justice made clear that:

It was not responsible for the statements of other organizations;
Bennett was a powerful government official who actively sought the limelight and was a “public person” for First Amendment purposes
Bennett should cite with specificity any statement on the Seeking Justice, Uncovered.com, JusticeForDawn.com or www.FreeTonyViola.com website that is false, or which (if any) documents are not authentic.

Once challenged to name any inaccuracies, Bennett never responded, but the letter to Seeking Justice contains the stunning admissions that Mr. Bennett was aware that Dawn was wearing a wire and intruding into the sixth amendment right to counsel prior to the commencement of the federal trial, USA vs. Viola, 08-cr-506, N.D. Ohio. This admission is at variance with previous statements by Bennett that he was unaware of any voice recordings. In fact, for over a decade, Bennett made false statements in federal court about the existence of voice recordings, stating that:

“Viola claims … Dawn Pasela secretly recorded conversations with Viola, post indictment. Viola also argues that prosecutors used cancelled checks from Pasela’s contributions to Viola’s legal defense fund to identify the fund’s bank account. … Viola’s claims of government misconduct relating to Pasela are not true … claims of government misconduct with respect to Pasela is blatantly untrue,” USA v. Viola, 08-cr-506, N.D. Ohio, Docket # 483, page 21, 6/16/15.

When he was threatening to sue Seeking Justice, Bennett offered a new explanation:

“As part of trial preparation, the FBI Agent assigned to the federal trial learned of the recording from one of the agents working on the state prosecution case. Mr. Bennett immediately instructed the FBI agent to obtain a copy of the one recording and listen to the recording … Bennett advised the Agent to make copies … and provide it to defense counsel,” 2024 letter to Seeking Justice from Attorney Michael P. Harvey.

Defense attorneys have stated in writing that Bennett’s statement is false, and that they never received any voice recordings, or they would have raised the issue in court at the time. Moreover, Bennett’s 2024 statements constitutes newly discovered evidence that he failed to comply with his constitutional responsibilities to provide the defense with recordings with a defendant’s voice on them.

Finally, since the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s office has stated in writing that it is reviewing the suspicious death of Dawn Pasela, Bennett and his attorney were informed that any information in their possession should be provided to the proper authorities at once, and counsel for Bennett, Michael Harvey of Rocky River, Ohio was advised to report this misconduct to the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel and direct Bennett to withdraw his false statements in Tony’s criminal proceedings.

Expert Pathologist Peter Mazari disputes findings of Medical Examiner, advocates changing cause of Dawn Pasela’s death, joins calls for New Investigation

Attorney Kim Corral retained an expert Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Peter Mazari, and asked him to review every available document concerning the death of Dawn Pasela and write a report based on his findings. Dr. Peter Mazari was well qualified for such an assignment, as he is a Forensic Pathologist who has served as a Medical Examiner in Southern New Jersey for nearly a decade, and previously provided Medical Examiner services in Maryland and Pennsylvania, performed over 1500 autopsies and consulted on dozens of civil and criminal legal cases. Dr. Mazari earned his medical degree (M.D.) as well as a separate doctorate (Ph.D.) in molecular biology and biochemistry at Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Mazari’s report concluded that Dawn’s death was “unnatural” and said “I would strongly suggest revision and reinvestigation.” In his comprehensive report, Dr. Mazari disagreed with the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s “assessment of the manner of death” of an accidental alcohol overdose, stating “no evidence of any sort of ethanol ingestion was noted at the scene other than bottles of vodka. No glasses to support oral consumption,” raising “the possibility that the scene was altered prior to Ms. Pasela being discovered.”

Additional findings of the prominent pathologist include:

“Regarding the manner of death … several findings leave the circumstances murky enough that I would suggest the manner of death be revised to ‘Undetermined’ at this point pending further police investigation.”
“At autopsy, however, a significant amount of ‘food’ was noted in her stomach … [which] raises the possibility that she had ingested the ethanol through a different means than oral ingestion, possibly after she had already eaten.”
“Additionally, there is evidence that another person had been present with Ms. Pasela on the night of her death. There were two coffee mugs both containing apparent coffee on the dining table … and an outgoing call was noted at 04:39 AM” but never investigated.

Dr. Mazari concludes that “it is my opinion that the manner at this time would be best classified as “Undetermined” and that further police investigation would be necessary to adequately rule out the possibility of foul play.” Attempts to present this report to the Medical Examiner were rebuffed, while city officials in Parma failed to respond to the report itself, leading Attorney Kim Corral and Dawn’s family to make Dr. Mazari’s report public.

FBI Tipster Alleges Dawn Pasela was murdered

Newly obtained documents reveal that the FBI received a tip Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris were recorded talking about Dawn Pasela’s murder by an individual became alarmed and started recording the discussion. According to the FBI’s national threat operations center, “Dawn’s murder was connected to former assistant United States Attorney” Mark Bennett and Senior “Assistant Attorney General” Dan Kasaris, and that an individual recorded the conversation when it involved “foul play.” The FreeTonyViola.com investigative team obtained FBI documents in May, 2025, but the information provided thus far does not disclose whether recording itself was in FBI possession. The complete FBI report has been uploaded to the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker, and additional documents are likely to be released soon.

$10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest of a Suspect in the Murder of Dawn Pasela

As part of its investigative series, Seeking Justice announced a $10,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Dawn Pasela. Series creators Andrea Cipriano, Dana Poll and Lexi Kakis released a statement saying

"The Seeking Justice Series analyzes evidence and seeks to attract new information about Dawn’s murder. This $10,000 reward should attract greater attention to Dawn’s case and how she was treated. Her loved ones have spent more than a decade searching for the truth. They’ve experienced heartache, unimaginable pain, and ongoing grief. When we learned about Dawn’s story, we knew she was an advocate to her core. But, her work was left unfinished. We feel compelled to carry her torch, seeking justice. It’s never too late to uncover the truth."

To submit a tip, please visit www.JusticeForDawn.com and view multiple ways to get in touch with Dawn’s legal or investigative team, or reach out directly to the creators of Seeking Justice at SeekingJusticeShow@gmail.com. To watch the series trailer, or to view previous episodes of the show, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@SeekingJusticeShow.

The quest for Justice for Dawn Continues

Attorney Kim Corral continues to advocate for a new investigation into what happened to Dawn. To watch Kim’s remarks at a recent rally, please click this link: https://youtu.be/tV8Yjxf8XGU

“Since we started investigating Dawn’s death, every single piece of evidence we’ve obtained supports the theory that her death was the result of foul play,” said Tony Viola. “In contrast, not one bit of evidence supports the contention that Dawn died from an accidental alcohol overdose. And aside from her death, we have an open and shut case of witness intimidation and obstruction of justice by law enforcement authorities. It’s long past time to hold Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris responsible for their actions and it’s long past time for responsible officials in the government to support our calls to fully investigate what happened to Dawn.”

Mrs. Karen Pasela, Dawn’s Mother, said “We went to the Parma Police well over a year ago in good faith and provided them with a great deal of evidence that required an investigation by the proper authorities. We provided city officials details about the theft of Dawn’s computer from her apartment, autopsy photos showing bruising on her neck and her broken necklace, transcripts detailing conversations about Dawn’s ‘murder’ and records that Dan Kasaris destroyed his own computer on the very the day Dawn died. In July of last year, the Parma Police promised to turn this file over to Ohio BCI’s Cold Case Unit, but gave us one excuse after another as to why that wasn’t done. Meanwhile, we continue to gather more and more new evidence, including the fact that the police called a mortuary service, not an ambulance, and new witness statements supporting our claims.”

Dawn’s Father, Mr. Edward Pasela, added: “The first thing Parma Police told us was that this case was above their pay grade and was too political because it involved prosecutors. If they felt that way, we hoped they would step aside and refer this case to another agency who could take a hard look at the facts, but the city refuses, leaving us with a cruel choice: either forget about our daughter or continue to seek a proper investigation into all that’s occurred. And we are going to do all we can to hold anyone who hurt our daughter accountable.”

If you have information or know anything about the death of Dawn Pasela, or about misconduct by Dan Kasaris or Mark Bennett, please contact Bob Friedrick at (440) 546-8393 or Bob@FAInvestigations.com, or Tony Viola at (330) 998-3290 or MrTonyViola@Icloud.com

For additional information about how Tony Viola proved his innocence at a second trial using evidence prosecutors said didn’t exist, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com. The FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker contains all of the documents referenced in this article, including sworn statements from the Pasela family and 600 pages of emails between Dan Kasaris and Kathryn Clover.

To learn more about Dawn Pasela, or to submit a tip to her investigative team, please visit www.JusticeForDawn.com.

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FreeTonyViola.com Co-Sponsors EPIC’s - Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens – Fifth Annual Wrongful Conviction Rally Thursday, October 2nd at Noon, Cuyahoga County Justice Center, West 3rd and Lakeside Ave. in Downtown Cleveland

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 20:27:33 +0000

FreeTonyViola.com Co-Sponsors EPIC’s - Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens – Fifth Annual Wrongful Conviction Rally Thursday, October 2nd at Noon, Cuyahoga County Justice Center, West 3rd and Lakeside Ave. in Downtown Cleveland

Speakers include Exonerees, Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly and Attorney Kim Corral
Event livestream will be available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/228901363337147
Event Co-Sponsors include Justice For Dawn Pasela and FreeTonyViola.com
Exonerees and government officials are welcome to speak at the event

For Additional Information or to register as a speaker, kindly contact Event Organizer Jeanna Kenney at Epicxteam2020@gmail.com

Cleveland, Ohio – August 4, 2025 – FreeTonyViola announced today that it is a co-sponsor of EPIC’s (Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens) fifth annual rally on Thursday, October 2nd at Noon to highlight Cuyahoga County’s role as the epicenter wrongful convictions. According to The National Registry of Exonerations, there have been at least 3,709 judicially recognized exonerations since 1989, constituting more than 35,000 years lost. Cuyahoga County has far more exonerees than any other community, including many citizens who spent decades incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.

Wrongful Conviction Day is a national event across the nation designed by the Innocence Network to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful conviction and to recognize the tremendous personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful convictions on innocent people and their families.

In advance of his appearance at the event, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly stated: “A wrongful conviction is the worst form of injustice that can occur in our system and we should do everything we can to prevent it on the front end from happening, but also take steps to reform the post-conviction process to remedy wrongful conviction as soon as possible.”

The keynote speaker, attorney Kim Corral, whose law firm works extensively on post-conviction litigation, stated “As always, I am honored to participate in Cuyahoga County's Wrongful Conviction Day. It is crucially important to spread awareness about the all too common-place occurrence of wrongful convictions. It is also an important opportunity to remind those harmed by wrongful conviction that they are not forgotten, that we have not tired in their fight for justice and that the community is calling for change.”

Ed and Karen Pasela, the parents of the late Dawn Pasela, said, “We are so happy to support Wrongful Conviction Day, because our daughter Dawn worked for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and a multi-jurisdictional Task Force. Dawn saw injustices inside the Prosecutor’s Office and refused to stand by and watch innocent people being sent to prison. Instead, she fought so hard for justice and did everything she could to prevent wrongful convictions.”

Tony Viola, who was exonerated at a second trial after an initial conviction, said, “Wrongful convictions aren’t mistakes but often result from intentional wrongdoing by prosecutors, who start with a conclusion, target people for prosecution, then hide or destroy evidence that doesn’t comport with their theory of the case. Ending rampant injustices and intentional wrongdoing by prosecutors should be a top priority for all officials in our government.”

Event organizer Jeanna Kenney added, “If you have a loved one incarcerated who is fighting a wrongful conviction, we encourage you to join us, bring your family, and join us in solidarity to be boots on ground. We are also asking for help sharing the event on your social media pages and by inviting family and friends in person. Also, we would welcome additional speakers and sponsors, so please reach out for further details.”

ABOUT EPIC- Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens: EPIC is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for fair laws and treatment within our penal system. We are currently fighting hard on Parole Reform and the treatment of incarcerated citizens throughout Ohio. We are a team built with amazing individuals who are passionate and dedicated to bring those deserving of a second chance HOME!

ABOUT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY KENDALL CORRAL: Kimberly Kendall Corral has successfully and aggressively defended a wide range of criminal cases from misdemeanors to capital homicide cases. Kim represents clients at all levels of criminal justice advocacy, including investigation, indictment, pre-trial motions practice, trial, direct appeals, post-conviction remedies, jurisdictional appeals, habeas corpus, and wrongful conviction litigation. Kim was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a client’s pardon with the President of the United States and White House Counsel. She was honored as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Additional information can be found at www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

ABOUT JUSTICEFORDAWN.COM: Whistleblower Dawn Pasela worked for the Prosecutor’s Office in Cleveland and was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was set to testify at the second criminal trial of Tony Viola. Dawn’s death has never been investigated, nor has the disappearance of her computer with evidence that may lead to over 1,000 exonerations. The JustuceForDawn team is advocating for a proper investigation by an independent law enforcement agency, and to hold powerful law enforcement officials accountable for their actions, which led to Dawn’s death.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on X @TonyViola.

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Help Free Johnny Watkins … by Guest Blogger Rebecca Wall

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:05:59 +0000

Help Free Johnny Watkins … by Guest Blogger Rebecca Wall

Johnny Watkins, a U.S. Army veteran, has spent over 20 years wrongfully imprisoned in Ohio, convicted after nothing more than a 6-hour investigation and a grueling 12-hour interrogation, all conducted without the presence of an attorney. Sadly, Johnny’s story is a heartbreaking example of the tragic consequences that occur when justice is overshadowed by speed, undue pressure, and neglect of fundamental human rights.

Johnny bravely served his country, facing challenges and traumas that are beyond the comprehension of most. His dedication and sacrifice, however, were repaid with injustice upon his return home. Suffering from PTSD, Johnny became entangled in a nightmare that no veteran — or any human being — should endure. The rushed procedures and inadequate legal support he faced during the investigation have irreparably harmed his life, and his wrongful conviction stands as a grave miscarriage of justice.

The evidence against Johnny was slim and circumstantial at best, gathered in an alarmingly short period of time that reflects a failure in the judicial process designed to protect the innocent. This hasty investigation overlooked key elements that should have been examined thoroughly. Moreover, subjecting Johnny to prolonged interrogation without legal representation is a blatant violation of his rights, undermining his ability to adequately defend himself.

Johnny Watkins deserves a thorough and fair reevaluation of his case. We call upon the judicial authorities and the Governor of Ohio to review all evidence, and consider new findings that could liberate this honorable veteran. The commitment to justice must prioritize human rights and accuracy over expedience.

Join us in urging those in power to rectify this wrongful conviction by signing our petition to bring attention to Johnny's plight and help us restore justice and freedom to a man who dedicated his life to serving his country: https://chng.it/CsN6mrq2t9.

Your support is crucial in this fight against judicial oversight. Let’s stand together to demand justice for Johnny Watkins now!

Rebecca Wall is a Podcast Host at Wickedly Judged and Owner/Agent at Elite Management and Marketing Group. For additional information, please visit: https://www.wickedlyjudged.com/ or email wickedlyjudged@gmail.com

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Dawn Pasela murdered, Prosecutors Dan Kasaris and Mark Bennett secretly recorded discussing 'foul play', FBI Tipster alleges

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 20:50:03 +0000

Dawn Pasela murdered, Prosecutors Dan Kasaris and Mark Bennett secretly recorded discussing 'foul play', FBI Tipster alleges

FBI Records Production Continuing, additional information forthcoming soon
Attorney Kim Corral Leading Rally for Justice for Dawn on Wednesday June 25 at Noon at 801 West Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio
Expert Pathologist Peter Mazari urges new investigation into Dawn’s suspicious death

Newly obtained documents reveal that the FBI received a tip that fired and disbarred prosecutor Mark Bennett and/or Senior Assistant Ohio AG Dan Kasaris were recorded talking about Dawn Pasela’s murder by an individual became alarmed and started recording the discussion. In late 2023, the FBI national threat operations center received a report that “Dawn’s murder was connected to former assistant United States Attorney” Mark Bennett and Senior “Assistant Attorney General” Dan Kasaris, and that an individual recorded the conversation when it involved “foul play.”

The FreeTonyViola.com investigative team obtained FBI documents in May, 2025, but the information provided thus far does not disclose whether recording itself was in FBI possession. The complete FBI report has been uploaded to the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker, and additional documents are likely to be released soon.

Mounting Evidence that Dawn was Murdered

Dawn Pasela served as Office Manager of a multi-jurisdictional mortgage fraud task force and was ordered by Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris to engage in an illegal undercover operation to record confidential defense trial strategy information. Later, Dawn discovered that Bennett and Kasaris were suppressing exculpatory evidence in mortgage fraud prosecutions, provided it to criminal defendants and planned on testifying in open court about what she knew – including an affair between Prosecutor Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover. Dawn did not appear in court as scheduled and was found dead under suspicious circumstances, her computer containing key evidence was missing and the crime scene contained multiple cell phones, which were not collected by Parma Police.

In 2024, Attorney Kim Corral, who represents Tony Viola and Dawn’s family, retained expert Pathologist Peter Mazari and asked him to review all available documents and police reports and prepare a detailed assessment with recommendations. Dr. Mazari’s report, which is available on the JusticeForDawn.com website, disputed findings of Medical Examiner, and advocated changing cause of Dawn Pasela’s death from accidental to suspicious. These findings augment earlier documents Attorney Corral and her colleagues obtained, which include:

A Cuyahoga County Sheriff investigation, which concluded that the Parma, Ohio police ignored procedures, failed to interview any witnesses, failed to collect surveillance video or multiple cell phones or any evidence from the death scene, and erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer
The Cold Case Unit of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office asked to investigate the case, but officials in Parma refused to turn over the case file
Fired and disbarred federal prosecutor Mark Bennett now admits that he directed Dawn to make illegal voice recordings, and was aware these recordings existed, but failed to provide them before trial. Bennett’s recent admissions wholly contradict his earlier sworn statements in federal court

June 25^th Rally

In order to call attention to Dawn’s case, solicit investigative leads from the public and lobby government officials to join calls for a new investigation into Dawn’s death, Dawn’s supporters have organized a rally on June 25, 2025 – 11:45 AM – 1:15 PM at the United States District Court 801 W Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113. The keynote speaker is Attorney Kim Corral and event sponsors include The Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity, Seeking Justice, JusticeForDawn.com, EPIC in Ohio, The Law Office of Kimberly Kendall Corral, FreeTonyViola.com, and others.

To learn more about Dawn’s suspicious death, or to watch a season long investigative series, please visit www.JusticeForDawn.com. To learn more about the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, how he established his innocence at a second trial, or to view any of the evidence in Tony’s case, kindly visit www.FreeTonyViola.com

# # #

Rally seeking JUSTICE FOR DAWN PASELA Set for June 25, 2025 – 11:45 AM – 1:15 PM

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 20:50:36 +0000

Please join the Law Office of Kimberly Kendall Corral, JusticeForDawn.com, EPIC in Ohio, Seeking Justice, FreeTonyViola.com, & many others demanding

JUSTICE FOR DAWN PASELA

June 25, 2025 – 11:45 AM – 1:15 PM

US District Court 801 W Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113

Dawn Pasela, a trusting and fierce advocate for justice, realized the prosecutors she worked for, Mark Bennett & Dan Kasaris, hid evidence to imprison innocent people for mortgage fraud. She’s threatened to stay silent, but determined to testify against them and do what’s right. Just as Dawn was set to appear in court, she was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances, her computer was missing & Parma Police never collected ANY evidence or security camera footage.

Despite mounting evidence that Dawn was murdered, including an expert pathologist report calling for a new investigation and multiple law enforcement agencies stating Dawn’s case should be reopened, powerful government officials are covering up misconduct inside the US Attorney’s Office and refuse to do the right thing.

Please join us as we demand justice and accountability!

Featured Speaker, Distinguished Cleveland Attorney Kim Corral

To learn more about what happened to Dawn, please visit: www.JusticeForDawn.com

Expert Pathologist Peter Mazari disputes findings of Medical Examiner, advocates changing cause of Dawn Pasela’s death, joins calls for New Investigation

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 21:00:50 +0000

Expert Pathologist Peter Mazari disputes findings of Medical Examiner, advocates changing cause of Dawn Pasela’s death, joins calls for New Investigation

County Sheriff investigation found the Parma, Ohio police ignored procedures, failed to collect multiple cell phones or any evidence from the death scene, erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer
Parma Police refuse to take any action to reopen the case – even after a directive to do so
Mounting evidence suggests that Dawn was murdered
Fired and disbarred federal prosecutor Mark Bennett now admits Dawn was ordered to make illegal voice recordings, contradicting his earlier sworn statements in federal court

Executive Summary

Expert Forensic Pathologist Dr. Peter Mazari reviewed every available document concerning the death of Dawn Pasela and concluded that the death was “unnatural” and said “I would strongly suggest revision and reinvestigation.” In his comprehensive report, Dr. Mazari disagreed with the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s “assessment of the manner of death” of an accidental alcohol overdose, stating “no evidence of any sort of ethanol ingestion was noted at the scene other than bottles of vodka. No glasses to support oral consumption,” raising “the possibility that the scene was altered prior to Ms. Pasela being discovered.”

Background

Whistleblower Dawn Pasela was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was set to testify at the second criminal trial of Tony Viola about wrongdoing by Prosecutor Mark Bennett and Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris. Tony was exonerated, thanks to evidence Dawn provided, but Dawn’s death was deemed suspicious because:

Three cell phones were found in her apartment – including one with an outbound call long after the supposed time of death – but the Parma Police never collected them or ANY evidence.
The heat in her apartment was set very high to accelerate body decomposition, but the window was wide open, and may have been used by an assailant to exit her apartment.
Dawn’s computer, containing evidence in a myriad of criminal cases, was stolen.
Dawn’s blood alcohol content, close to .60, was inconsistent with the police photos taken at the scene, including ongoing food preparation. Moreover, no vomit or urine was present.

Mounting evidence that Dawn’s death was the result of foul play, and that multiple individuals had reason to harm her, has come to light. Kindly consider:

One of Dawn’s colleagues at the Task Force where she worked, Chairman Donald Cleland, stated under oath that Dawn possessed hard drives from the Task Force that contained evidence in hundreds of state and federal criminal cases.
Facebook messages from Susan Kasaris, the wife of Dan Kasaris, confirmed Dawn’s allegations that Prosecutor Kasaris was having an affair with government witness Kathryn Clover, who testified in dozens of criminal cases on behalf of prosecutors. Kasaris also destroyed his own computer the day Dawn died.
The Justice Department fired Mark Bennett and blamed him for making false statements about evidence in Tony’s case, further confirming Dawn’s allegations. Bennett was suspended him from the practice of law, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; DOJ Inspector General Report Number 21-005.
Records obtained in 2023 establish tht the Parma Police didn’t call an ambulance to Dawn’s apartment but a mortuary service.
A review of Dawn’s file by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff shows that Parma Police violated procedures and failed to collect cell phones or any evidence, failed to canvass the area around Dawn’s apartment, interview witnesses, obtain surveillance video, or coordinate any investigation with the Medical Examiner’s Office.
According to Dawn’s friend Jason Samide, Dawn reached out to him shortly before her death, asking for his help and expressing fear for her safety.
New evidence indicates that Marty Maurer was the last person to see Dawn alive and may possess critical information about what happened to Dawn, but Maurer has refused to cooperate with any investigation. In 2024, Maurer was caught making contradictory statements about his presence in Dawn’s apartment the night she died.
Despite specific directives by the County Sheriff to the Parma Police, that department refuses to follow any recommendations or turn the file to another investigative agency.

Overview of Dr. Mazari’s Report

Attorney Kim Corral retained Dr. Peter Mazari, a Forensic Pathologist who has served as a Medical Examiner in Southern New Jersey for nearly a decade, to review the case file. Dr. Mazari, pictured above, previously provided Medical Examiner services in Maryland and Pennsylvania, performed over 1500 autopsies and consulted on dozens of civil and criminal legal cases. Dr. Mazari earned his medical degree (M.D.) as well as a separate doctorate (Ph.D.) in molecular biology and biochemistry at Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Mazari’s full report has been posted in the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker, but key findings of the prominent pathologist include:

“Regarding the manner of death, … several findings leave the circumstances murky enough that I would suggest the manner of death be revised to ‘Undetermined’ at this point pending further police investigation.”
“At autopsy, however, a significant amount of ‘food’ was noted in her stomach … [which] raises the possibility that she had ingested the ethanol through a different means than oral ingestion, possibly after she had already eaten.”
“Additionally, there is evidence that another person had been present with Ms. Pasela on the night of her death. There were two coffee mugs both containing apparent coffee on the dining table … and an outgoing call was noted at 04:39 AM” but never investigated.

Attempts to present this report to the Medical Examiner were rebuffed, while city officials in Parma failed to respond to the report itself, leading Attorney Kim Corral and Dawn’s family to make Dr. Mazari’s report public.

A $10,000 reward is available for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in Dawn's murder. If you would like to submit a tip, kindly complete the form on the JusticeForDawn.com website, or contact Attorney Kim Corral at (216) 926-7285, private investigator Bob Friedrick at (440) 546-8393 / Bob@FAInvestigations.com, or Tony Viola at (330) 998-3290.

To learn more about what happened to Dawn Pasela, kindly visit www.JusticeForDawn.com.

Additional information about Attorney Kimberly Corral’s law practice and recent accomplishments can be found on her website, www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

To learn more about the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, and how he established his innocence at a second trial, or to view any of the documents mentioned in this blog post, kindly visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

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Guest Blogger from our friend Dr. Neil Anand: A Doctor’s Fight Against AI-Driven Injustice

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 18:06:32 +0000

Guest Post by Dr. Neil Anand: A Doctor’s Fight Against AI-Driven Injustice

I’m Dr. Neil Anand, a 9/11 first responder and anesthesiologist who’s spent over 20 years healing patients—from Ground Zero to pioneering heart transplants. Now, I’m in a different battle: United States v. Anand (Case No. 19-518), starting March 17, 2025, in Philadelphia. The government’s using artificial intelligence and manipulated data to prosecute me for treating chronic pain patients, turning tools meant to help into weapons against doctors. It’s the first case of its kind, and it’s not just about me—it’s about every physician fighting to care in a system that punishes compassion. Like Tony Viola, I’m an underdog facing a rigged fight, backed by allies like Dr. Norman Clement, Dr. Linda Cheek, and Belinda Parker-Brown. Check out my press release below, and if you can, share it or join me in spirit. Together, we can expose these injustices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Coley Reynolds, Legal Counsel for Dr. Neil K. Anand
Email: [https://reynoldsfirm.com/]
Phone: [(267) 710-1177]

9/11 Hero and Physician Dr. Neil K. Anand Battles Unjust Prosecution in Landmark Artificial Intelligence Case

Philadelphia, PA – Dr. Neil K. Anand, a celebrated 9/11 first responder and board-certified anesthesiologist, is fighting to clear his name in United States v. Anand, Case Number 19-518 on March 17, 2025 in the Eastern District Court of Pennsylvania, James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse, 601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 . Targeted for his compassionate treatment of chronic pain patients, Dr. Anand faces a prosecution his legal team, led by attorney Coley Reynolds, calls a gross misrepresentation of his evidence-based medical practice.

Battle in the City of Benjamin Franklin

In Philadelphia, the city where Benjamin Franklin’s ingenuity shaped a nation, Dr. Neil K. Anand wages an uphill battle that could redefine justice. In United States v. Anand, this 9/11 hero and physician faces a formidable foe, the U.S. government’s weaponized artificial intelligence and data analytics. For the first time in history, a lone doctor stands as an underdog against a prosecutorial machine powered by advanced technology, fighting to prove his innocence in a courtroom clash of man versus artificial intelligence algorithms.

The government has unleashed AI to sift through years of Dr. Anand’s patient records, deploying complex mathematical models to cast his compassionate pain management as a criminal enterprise. Their data-driven assault cherry-picks outliers, twists statistics, and overlooks the human reality of chronic pain, portraying a healer as a villain. Armed with little more than his integrity and a small legal team led by Coley Reynolds, Dr. Anand is countering this technological Goliath with meticulous evidence and a fierce resolve to expose the flaws in the government’s AI-fueled case.

“Dr. Anand is David facing a government Goliath armed with artificial intelligence,” American United International, Chairwoman Belinda Parker Brown said. “In Franklin’s city, we’re fighting to show that truth and humanity can triumph over cold artificial intelligence algorithms.” This unprecedented struggle pits one man’s dedication against a system stacked against him, setting the stage for a landmark verdict on whether technology will serve justice or bury it.

A Legacy of Courage and Healing

Dr. Anand’s life is a testament to service. Born in Media, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and earned his M.D. from Albany Medical College by age 24. On September 11, 2001, as the youngest doctor in New York City, he rushed to Ground Zero, treating victims amid chaos and earning the NYU Hero’s Award. His medical achievements include assisting in Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s first heart transplant, serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Medical Corps, and performing over 700 heart and lung surgeries. A pioneer in pain management, Dr. Anand has spent decades alleviating suffering.

Compassion Criminalized

Chronic pain afflicts millions of Americans, yet effective treatment remains elusive and misunderstood. Dr. Anand’s practice offered hope to patients abandoned by others, using diagnostic imaging, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, and carefully monitored opioid therapy. Far from running a “pill mill,” as the government alleges, he enforced strict protocols, opioid contracts, regular drug tests, and personalized care plans to ensure patient safety.

The prosecution’s case, Dr. Norman Clement of Youarewithinthenorms.com argues, distorts Dr. Anand’s work and threatens the future of pain management. “This isn’t about fraud, it’s about a system punishing a doctor for caring,” he said. “Dr. Anand is innocent, and we trust the evidence will prove it.”

A Broader Crisis

Dr. Anand’s trial highlights a troubling trend, the criminalization of legitimate medical practice amid the opioid crisis. By targeting physicians like him, the U.S. government risks deterring doctors from treating chronic pain, leaving patients to suffer. His case demands a reevaluation of how medicine and justice intersect.

Key Videos on Dr. Anand’s Fight

Explore Dr. Anand’s story and its implications through these compelling videos:

The American Journal: Dr. Neil Anand’s Persecution
A deep dive into systemic issues fueling Dr. Anand’s prosecution.
Dr. Neil Anand’s Fight for Justice
Dr. Anand and his team expose flaws in the government’s case.

(https://youtu.be/_BErbFL2gsA?si=yKskTV0rdu158mf8)

The Human Cost of Over-Policing Medicine
Examining the chilling effect on pain care and patients.

(https://youtu.be/FbQk0yoZSuI?si=-JlrKQd_CTlpXFDh)

Dr. Neil Anand: A Doctor’s Journey
A personal look at Dr. Anand’s life and legal battle.

(https://youtu.be/fX1UIjSLht8?si=YEGyxFpsUcdoY4rr)

Voices of Resilience: Social Justice Champions Supporting Dr. Anand’s Fight

Dr. Neil K. Anand’s battle against unjust prosecution has rallied a coalition of fearless advocates who know firsthand the toll of government overreach in medicine. Among them are Dr. Norman Clement, Dr. Linda Cheek, and Chairwoman Belinda Parker-Brown, tireless voices amplifying Dr. Anand’s struggle and the broader crisis facing healthcare providers.

Dr. Norman Clement, a pharmacist, dentist, and founder of the blog, youarewithinthenorms.com, stands as a relentless critic of regulatory abuses targeting medical professionals. Through his platform, Clement exposes what he calls “regulatory racism” and systemic injustices, drawing from his own experiences and those of countless physicians like Dr. Anand. His writings and advocacy provide a vital megaphone for the accused, demanding accountability from agencies like the DEA and DOJ. “Dr. Anand’s case is a microcosm of a war on healers,” Dr. Clement has written, urging the public to see beyond the government’s narrative.

Dr. Linda Cheek, a disenfranchised physician and founder of doctorsofcourage.org, brings her own story of surviving prosecutorial misconduct to Dr. Anand’s defense. A former family practitioner specializing in pain management, Dr. Cheek was targeted for her legitimate care of chronic pain patients, much like Dr. Anand. Her organization champions doctors wrongfully attacked under the Controlled Substances Act, offering resources, education, and a fierce rebuttal to government propaganda. “Dr. Neil Anand is a hero, not a criminal,” Cheek asserts, calling his case a clarion call to end the criminalization of compassionate care.

Chairwoman Belinda Parker-Brown, leader of Louisiana United International, Inc., and America United International, rounds out this trio with her organizational muscle and moral clarity. A staunch advocate for justice, Parker-Brown’s groups work to halt the weaponization of America’s legal system against its citizens, including physicians like Dr. Anand. Her leadership amplifies grassroots efforts to protect patient rights and support providers ensnared by overzealous prosecution. “This is about reclaiming fairness,” she says, pledging solidarity with Dr. Anand’s fight.

Together, these three social justice champions embody resilience and resistance, lending their platforms and expertise to ensure Dr. Anand’s story and the plight of countless others does not go unheard.

Stand for Justice

Dr. Anand’s fight transcends one man, it’s a call to protect compassionate care and patient rights. His team urges the public to see past the government’s narrative and support a healer wrongly accused.

For media inquiries or interviews with Coley Reynolds, contact [https://reynoldsfirm.com/]

About Dr. Neil K. Anand
A 9/11 hero and former U.S. Naval Medical Corps Lieutenant Commander, Dr. Anand is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management expert with over 20 years of service.

About Coley Reynolds
Coley Reynolds is an experienced healthcare and criminal defense attorney representing Dr. Anand in United States v. Anand, Case Number 19-518.

About Dr. Norman Clement
Dr. Norman Clement, a pharmacist, dentist, and founder of youarewithinthenorms.com, is a fierce advocate for medical professionals unjustly targeted by government overreach. Through his blog, he exposes systemic abuses in healthcare regulation, drawing from his own battles to champion physicians like Dr. Anand.

About Dr. Linda Cheek
Dr. Linda Cheek, a former family practitioner and founder of doctorsofcourage.org, is a pain management specialist who endured prosecutorial misconduct for her patient care. Her organization supports doctors like Dr. Anand, fighting to restore integrity to medicine and end the criminalization of compassion.

About Belinda Parker-Brown
Chairwoman Belinda Parker-Brown leads Louisiana United International, Inc., and America United International, advocating for justice against legal system abuses. Her work defends citizens, including physicians like Dr. Anand, from overzealous prosecution, amplifying their voices on a national stage. https://www.launitedi.org/

Attorney Kim Corral Challenges Restitution Order in Tony Viola's Federal Criminal Case

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 21:01:31 +0000

Attorney Kim Corral Challenges Restitution Order in Tony Viola's Federal Criminal Case

Co-Defendants Uri Gofman, Nick Myles make identical claims
Motion alleges US Attorney, Mortgage Fraud Task Force illegally added victims, increased loss amounts 19 months after the conclusion of the case
Previously obtained restitution ledger details misappropriation of over $15 million in crime victim funds
According to prosecutors, banks are both innocent victims and perpetrators of the offense of conviction, because the same transactions are included in a myriad of different proceedings
Cuyahoga County Land Bank gains ownership of properties at no cost, without compensation to former owners and without forfeiture orders

Attorney Kim Corral filed a motion to vacate a restitution order USA v. Viola, 1:08-cr-00506-DCN Doc #: 570, arguing that changes to the restitution order 19 months after a judgment in a criminal case (adding a new victim and increasing the restitution obligation by $1.4 million) was illegal. Kim’s motion argued that “this honorable Court lacked jurisdiction to enter its July 11, 2013 Restitution Order, increasing Defendant Anthony Viola’s restitution by $1,393,336.51. Accordingly, this Court must vacate its July 11, 2013 Restitution Order as this Court lacked jurisdiction to enter any order amending a final conviction and sentencing judgment.”

Kim’s motion cited Sixth Circuit precedent stating:

When a court imposes a sentence, "it does not have the authority to change or modify that sentence unless such authority is expressly granted by statute." United States v. Hammond, 712 F.3d 333, 335 (6th Cir. 2013) (per curiam); see also United States v. Curry, 606 F.3d 323, 326 (6th Cir. 2010); see generally 18 U.S.C. § 3582. And a restitution order "is a part of one's sentence." United States v. Winans, 748 F.3d 268, 271 (6th Cir. 2014); United States v. Harvey, 20 F.4th 71, 75 (1st Cir. 2021).

To read the full filing in its entirety, kindly visit the FreeTonyViola Evidence Locker, or access the case docket on the federal court’s PACER system.

Background

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office formed a multi-jurisdictional Task Force to prosecute mortgage fraud cases and secured federal grants to fund a multi-jurisdictional Mortgage Fraud Task Force, Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant # 2009-SC - B9-0080. The task force charged over 1,000 real estate agents, buyers and sellers of property with duping banks including JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup into making ‘no money down’ mortgage loans that did not meet the lender’s guidelines.

The Prosecutors Play a Double game with banks – Lenders are both innocent victims, entitled to restitution – and criminals, forced to pay anyone who lost money – on the same transactions

The Justice Department pursued mutually exclusive theories of criminality -- simultaneously claiming that banks were "innocent victims" of mortgage fraud schemes, entitled to restitution. However, these same banks have admitted wrongdoing and paid money to settle claims concerning the very same properties at issue in mortgage fraud trials cases. Kindly consider the property located at 3233 Dellwood Road in Cleveland Heights, Ohio – owned by Government witness Kathryn Clover and Count 33 in USA v. Anthony Viola, CR-08-506, N.D. Ohio. Prosecutors told jurors at my trial that all loans "would have to satisfy the lender's guidelines before any money was disbursed," Page 15, Case 12-3112, 5/1/13 Government Statement of Facts. But this same Dellwood property was also Count 83 in a case where banks committed fraud and lender executives were indicted for knowingly closing no money down loans that didn't meet the bank's lending guidelines. In that case, Ohio v. Harris, et. al., CR-10-551555, the indictment says that "high ranking officials" at banks "approved loans for funding knowing that the stipulations for such loan approval had not been met by falsely stating in mortgage documents that said stipulations had been satisfied ... The loans should never have been approved," pages 6 and 11, indictment. The 3233 Dellwood property was also at issue in state criminal cases, where Tony was exonerated and where other defendants were ordered to pay “restitution” on that property as well, Case number 10-CR-536877.

The FreeTonyViola.com investigative team previously obtained records that the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office collected over $15 million in restitution, but never remitted any of funds to crime victims listed on court orders. Instead, a disbursement ledger confirms the Prosecutor’s Office utilized funds collected in mortgage fraud cases to pay for airline tickets, hotel rooms, laptop computers for prosecutors and made payments to current Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Daniel Kasaris, listed as “KasDan” on the ledger. At the same time restitution was being diverted from crime victims, the Cuyahoga County Land Bank obtained millions of dollars in real estate, often without any court orders or written agreements from former property owners following demands by the County Prosecutor that individuals surrender real estate to the Land Bank in order to have criminal cases dismissed, Viola v. Cuyahoga County Land Bank, et. al., Case Number 1:21-cv-1196, N.D. Ohio, Court of Appeals Number 21-4139.

In late January, Judge Donald Nugent promptly denied Kim’s motion, without addressing the merits of the claim, setting up further litigation, a potential appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and additional proceedings to correct this obvious injustice.

“I proved my innocence at a second trial but have never had a chance to present proof of my innocence in federal court,” said Tony Viola. “Also, nineteen months after the conclusion of the federal criminal case, the government added a victim and increased the supposed loss amount in an illegal restitution order, which Judge Nugent signed off without notice to defendants. I am grateful that Attorney Kim Corral is working so hard to correct this obvious injustice and hope that the Public Defender’s Office and Innocence Projects will join us in stopping prosecutors from changing sentences and adding new victims after the conclusion of a criminal prosecution.”

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but won the subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com; friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212; or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

ABOUT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY KENDALL CORRAL: Additional information about Attorney Kimberly Corral’s law practice and recent accomplishments can be found on her website, www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

# # #

The Decade and a half Battle to Obtain Voice Recordings made by Dawn Pasela Enters a New Year

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 16:15:06 +0000

The Decade and a half Battle to Obtain Voice Recordings made by Dawn Pasela Enters a New Year

Since a May, 2009 written request by attorneys seeking any voice recordings with Tony Viola’s voice on them, no voice recording have ever been produced, either by federal prosecutor Mark Bennett in USA v. Viola, 08-cr-506, N.D. Ohio, or by state prosecutor Dan Kasaris in Ohio v. Viola, 10-cr-536877, or in related litigation. And after initially denying that such recordings exist, both Bennett and Kasaris subsequently admitted that recordings of Tony’s defense trial preparation do exist and were made by Dawn Pasela after his indictment. But even those admissions – as well as a court order by a federal judge to compel the production of voice recordings – have yet to result in the recordings themselves being produced.

2025 marks the start of the 16^th year in an effort to obtain voice recordings that Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris were required by law to produce years ago.

Background – Dawn Pasela

Born in 1985, Dawn (pictured above) graduated at the top of her class at Cleveland State and at Cuyahoga County Community College, Dawn was hired by Prosecutors Dan Kasaris and Mark Bennett as Office Manager of a multi-jurisdictional Mortgage Fraud Task Force. One of the cases 1,000 cases prosecuted by the Task Force was that of real estate broker Tony Viola, who was indicted in both state and federal court and accused of stealing $46 million in the “nation’s largest mortgage fraud case.” Tony never engaged in any mortgage origination, lending, underwriting or processing and never borrowed any funds himself, and maintained his innocence. When Bennett and Kasaris discovered their case against Tony was riddled with factual errors, they became concerned their high-profile case was about to fall apart and took the extraordinary step of directing Dawn to pose as paralegal working with local defense attorneys on similar cases, then offer to assist Tony’s defense. Dawn recorded a series of post-indictment conversations so prosecutors could obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Kasaris and Bennett also ordered Dawn to donate funds towards Tony’s legal fees so they could use her cancelled checks to identify the law firm's bank account. During this undercover operation, Dawn became concerned that these actions were wrong and that prosecutors were withholding key evidence in many Task Force’s prosecutions, and made much of available to Tony before his second trial, where he was exonerated. Also, during that proceeding, Dawn offered to testify about prosecutorial misconduct but was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances, details at www.JusticeForDawn.com.

Initial Denials by Prosecutors Kasaris and Bennett that Recordings Exist

Both before and after Tony’s federal trial, Bennett continuously maintained that allegations that Dawn wore a wire or donated funds toward his legal fees were false, writing:

Likewise, Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris never produced any recordings with Dawn’s voice on them, and told Kevin Spellacy that any allegation that Dawn recorded Tony was “a lie.”

Shifting Explanations, New Admissions, The Task Force Director Comes Forward and a Federal Court issues an Order to compel production of the recordings – but, still, no recordings have ever been produced

In 2013, the FreeTonyViola.com Investigative Team obtained the first piece of documentary evidence that confirmed what Dawn told Tony – that Dawn was ordered to record Tony’s trial preparation. That year, the Ohio Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Counsel obtained an admission by Prosecutor Kasaris that Dawn wore a wire and recorded Tony, but Kasaris claimed that the sound quality was poor and, as a result, the recordings were not provided to the defense. This statement is contrary to law, as both Ohio and federal criminal Rule 16 require prosecutors to produce voice recordings with a defendant’s voice on them before trial.

Utilizing this new admission as a foundation, litigation was initiated to seek a court order to compel the production of the voice recordings, Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, 15-cv-242, W.D. Pa. At a November 10, 2016 status hearing, Hon. Susan Paradise Baxter ordered “expedited production of tapes and/or of transcripts of tapes” made by “Ms. Pasela,” or any recordings with her voice on them.

Despite the court order, several years passed without any recordings being provided. Then, federal prosecutor Mark Bennett was fired by the Justice Department for grave misconduct. Once Bennett was no longer involved in evidence production, other government officials, including Assistant US Attorney Michael Colville, began a careful review of evidence, only to discover that Bennett made false statements, and issued an apology for “inaccuracies and the resulting inconvenience.” Likewise, the FBI also admitted its prior statements were also false, stating that it relied on representations of Bennett, who “failed to obtain all portions of the responsive records.”

A further breakthrough took place in 2022, when former Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland provided a sworn statement confirming the existence of recordings made by Dawn, along with an admission that Dawn was given hard drives with evidence in some or all 1,100 of the Task Force’s criminal cases evidence on them – Dawn later gave some of these records to Tony before his second trial.

In 2024, following his disbarment proceedings, and on the eve of a YouTube live investigative series by Seeking Justice, Mark Bennett's attorney Michael Harvey made a new admission:

Yale Law School Accepts Tony’s Case, and New Litigation Launched to Depose Mark Bennett

Following admissions that government officials lied in sworn statements in federal court about evidence, the United States Court of Appeals appointed The Yale Law School Appellate Clinic to represent Tony and submit a legal, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. A ruling in that case is pending.

Late in 2024, utilizing the latest admissions by Mark Bennett, Viola filed new, narrowly focused litigation filed in Washington, D.C., Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, Case # 1:24-cv-02026-TSC, seeking Mark Bennett’s deposition to determine exactly what he knows about the whereabouts of the recordings and any related materials, including notes, a consent to wear a wire or any further information about Dawn.

As of January, 2025, Tony and Dawn’s family and supporters are awaiting rulings in pending cases and continuing their efforts to obtain all information about Dawn or any materials related to Tony’s prosecution.

To learn more about what happened to Dawn Pasela, kindly visit www.JusticeForDawn.com. To learn more about the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, and how he established his innocence at a second trial, or to view any of the documents mentioned in this blog post, kindly visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

# # #

Justice Department Broke Records Laws and Disbarred Prosecutor Mark Bennett Lied About Illegal Voice Recordings, New Lawsuit Alleges

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:29:55 +0000

New Lawsuit Reveals Evidence Suppression and Prosecutorial Misconduct

Key Highlights:

Whistleblower Dawn Pasela was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances as she was about to testify about illegal voice recordings and wrongdoing by prosecutors in Cleveland
Disbarred Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett recently shifted his explanation concerning the whereabouts of voice recordings made by Dawn, now claiming that he and the FBI possessed these materials after previously insisting he was unaware of any tapes
Yale Law School and Attorney Kim Corral are currently pursuing companion litigation, following admissions by the FBI and Justice Department that each lied about evidence in what prosecutors called the ‘Nation’s Largest Mortgage Fraud’ case

New Lawsuit Seeks Accountability from the Justice Department

Recent litigation filed in Washington, D.C. (Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, Case # 1:24-cv-02026-TSC) seeks to compel the Justice Department to release evidence linked to illegal voice recordings made by whistleblower Dawn Pasela. The lawsuit also aims to uncover why the government has repeatedly shifted its explanations about these recordings and their whereabouts.

This litigation exposes critical failures by Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett, the FBI, and other government officials in their handling of evidence during Tony Viola’s trials.

Tony Viola's Wrongful Conviction and Suppressed Evidence

Tony Viola faced indictments and two trials on identical charges, accused of defrauding banks in what prosecutors called the "Nation’s Largest Mortgage Fraud" case. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison in the first trial. However, at his second trial, Tony was acquitted after uncovering evidence suppressed by the Justice Department, proving his innocence.

The suppressed evidence included FBI 302 reports and internal lender documents that exposed the complicity of banks in approving "no income, no asset" loans. This evidence not only cleared Tony but suggested that many of the 1,300 individuals prosecuted by the mortgage fraud task force may have been wrongfully convicted.

Dawn Pasela’s Courageous Role in Exposing the Truth

Dawn Pasela, the Office Manager for Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris, was instrumental in overturning Tony Viola’s wrongful conviction. She provided crucial evidence, including FBI 302 reports and internal lender documents, that exposed how banks knowingly approved "no income, no asset" loans—key to disproving the government’s flawed "mortgage fraud" theory.

This evidence, deliberately suppressed by Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris before Tony’s first trial, played a pivotal role in Tony’s acquittal. Dawn also offered to testify at the second trial about:

Prosecutorial misconduct by Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris.
The affair between Dan Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover raised serious ethical concerns.

Tragically, Dawn was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances before she could testify. Key evidence she planned to present, including her computer, was missing from the scene. Her death remains unexplained, fueling calls for accountability and justice.

Illegal Voice Recordings and Sixth Amendment Violations

The Supreme Court has long prohibited prosecutors from interfering with defendants’ Sixth Amendment rights under Massiah v. United States. However, in Tony’s case:

Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris ordered Dawn to pose as a paralegal, secretly recording Tony’s discussions with his defense attorneys.
These recordings provided prosecutors with confidential defense strategies.

While Bennett initially denied the existence of these recordings, he later admitted to knowing about at least one recording. His shifting explanations are central to ongoing litigation.

Mark Bennett’s Firing, Disbarment, and Declared Unfitness to Practice Law

In 2020, the Justice Department fired Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett for breaking the law. Shortly after, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharron Kennedy deemed suspending Bennett from practicing law "necessary to protect the public." In Disciplinary Counsel v. Bennett (Slip Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-4752), the Court sanctioned Bennett for two years due to "widespread" misconduct, which included:

Conditioning professional assistance to an intern on her willingness to provide sexual favors.
Fondling a colleague’s breasts and demanding nude photos.
Lying during legal proceedings and abusing his authority as a prosecutor.

Multiple government agencies, including the Justice Department’s Inspector General, investigated Bennett’s extensive history of wrongdoing. In Report No. 21-055, the Inspector General documented two decades of misconduct, including lying during federal proceedings.

During Tony Viola’s case, the Justice Department explicitly blamed Bennett for making false statements about evidence (Viola v. Department of Justice, 15-cv-242, WD Pa.). To access investigative reports and judicial decisions detailing Bennett’s criminal activities, visit the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

Mark Bennett Shifts His Explanation About Voice Recordings Made by Dawn Pasela

In 2024, Mark Bennett was again caught in a lie. After years of denying the existence of recordings made by Dawn Pasela, Bennett admitted to being aware that Dawn had worn a wire to record conversations with Tony Viola’s defense team. This admission confirmed an egregious violation of Tony’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel (USA vs. Viola, 08-cr-506, N.D. Ohio).

For over a decade, Bennett had made false statements in federal court, including this one:

“Viola claims … Dawn Pasela secretly recorded conversations with Viola, post indictment. Viola also argues that prosecutors used cancelled checks from Pasela’s contributions to Viola’s legal defense fund to identify the fund’s bank account. … Viola’s claims of government misconduct relating to Pasela are not true … claims of government misconduct with respect to Pasela is blatantly untrue.”
(USA v. Viola, 08-cr-506, N.D. Ohio, Docket # 483, page 21)

In 2024, Bennett changed his story, claiming:

“As part of trial preparation, the FBI Agent assigned to the federal trial learned of the recording from one of the agents working on the state prosecution case. Mr. Bennett immediately instructed the FBI agent to obtain a copy of the one recording and listen to the recording … Bennett advised the Agent to make copies … and provide it to defense counsel.”
(2024 letter from Attorney Michael P. Harvey)

Despite these claims, defense attorneys in Tony’s case confirmed they never received any voice recordings. If they had, they would have raised the issue during the trial.

New Evidence and the Seeking Justice Investigative Series

In 2023, newly uncovered evidence and witness statements led the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office to recommend reopening the investigation into Dawn Pasela’s death. However, the City of Parma, Ohio refused to cooperate, declining to transfer the case to a willing law enforcement agency.

This refusal prompted public rallies, media coverage, and the launch of the Seeking Justice investigative series. Despite Bennett’s threats of litigation, the series continued to expose his misconduct. Bennett was challenged to identify any false statements or inauthentic documents on SeekingJusticeMedia.com, JusticeForDawn.com, or FreeTonyViola.com. He failed to respond, reinforcing the credibility of the claims against him.

Details of Bennett’s threats are available in the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris Caught Lying About Dawn Pasela’s Role

Prior to Tony’s federal trial, both Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris told defense attorneys that there were no recordings or wiretaps in the case. After Tony’s acquittal in his second trial, Kasaris reversed his stance, claiming:

Dawn’s recordings existed but were of “poor sound quality” and “not helpful to the defense.”

In 2022, Kasaris went further, blaming Dawn for the recordings, stating she acted on her own without authorization while interacting with Tony.

FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf’s Mishandling of Recordings

FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf admitted to listening to Dawn Pasela’s recordings but claimed he no longer possesses them. He explained that he had transferred the recordings from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to the multi-jurisdictional Task Force location and retained control over key evidence.

In Viola v. US Department of Justice (15-cv-242, WD Pa, Docket # 164), the FBI headquarters stated:

“The FBI relied on the physical file with a belief it was complete,” acknowledging false statements were made about evidence due to "a lack of oversight" over Agent Kassouf.

Kassouf’s failure to produce electronic records highlights systemic issues in evidence handling during Tony’s prosecution.

Current Status of Litigation and Tony Viola’s Statement

The Justice Department is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Kartik N. Venguswamy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, phone number (202) 252-1790, email address KVenguswamy1@usa.doj.gov. Venguswamy recently requested an extension of time until late November to respond to Tony’s lawsuit.

Tony Viola emphasized:

“The fact that Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris are blaming Dawn for their illegal actions is completely unacceptable. We owe it to Dawn to uncover the truth about exactly what happened and who is responsible for her death. I am hopeful this new litigation will lead to a court order requiring the release of all evidence and records concerning the abuse of authority by powerful government officials.”

Learn More About Dawn’s Death and Tony’s Case

Justice for Dawn: Explore the facts surrounding Dawn Pasela’s suspicious death and her role in uncovering prosecutorial misconduct (www.JusticeForDawn.com).
Free Tony Viola: Learn more about Tony’s wrongful conviction, exoneration, and ongoing fight for justice (www.FreeTonyViola.com).

EPIC- Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens – Hosting Fourth Annual Wrongful Conviction Rally Wednesday, October 2nd at Noon, Cuyahoga County Justice Center, West 3rd and Lakeside Ave. in Downtown Cleveland

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:39:06 +0000

EPIC- Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens – Hosting Fourth Annual Wrongful Conviction Rally Wednesday, October 2^nd at Noon, Cuyahoga County Justice Center, West 3rd and Lakeside Ave. in Downtown Cleveland

Featured speakers include Exonerees, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly and Attorney Kim Corral
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley was invited to speak but declined
Event livestream will be available at https://www.youtube.com/@gbentmedia and archived thereafter.
Event Co-Sponsors include Justice For Dawn Pasela (JusticeForDawn.com) as well as FreeTonyViola.com

For Additional Information: Kindly contact Event Organizer Jeanna Kenney at Epicxteam2020@gmail.com

Cleveland, Ohio – September 3, 2024 – FreeTonyViola announced today that it is co-sponsoring the EPIC’s (Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens) fourth annual rally on October 2^nd at Noon to bring much needed attention of the horrific injustices wrongful convictions create to the community. According to The National Registry of Exonerations, there have been at least 3,585 judicially recognized exonerations since 1989, constituting more than 31,900 years lost. Locally, Cuyahoga County is regarded as the epicenter of wrongful convictions in the State of Ohio, with far more exonerees than any other community, including many citizens who spent decades incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.

Wrongful Conviction Day is a national event across the nation designed to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful conviction and to recognize the tremendous personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful conviction for innocent people and their families. The event began as an effort of the Innocence Network, an affiliation of organizations dedicated to providing pro-bono legal and investigative services to individuals seeking to prove innocence of crimes for which they have been convicted, working to redress the causes of wrongful convictions, and supporting the exonerated after they are freed.

In advance of his appearance at the event, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly stated that “A wrongful conviction is the worst form of injustice that can occur in our system and we should do everything we can to prevent it on the front end from happening, but also take steps to reform the post-conviction process to remedy wrongful conviction as soon as possible.”

Attorney Kim Corral, whose law firm works extensively on post-conviction litigation, stated the following: “As always, I am honored to participate in Cuyahoga County's Wrongful Conviction Day. It is crucially important to spread awareness about the all too common-place occurrence of wrongful convictions. It is also an important opportunity to remind those harmed by wrongful conviction that they are not forgotten, that we have not tired in their fight for justice and that the community is calling for change.”

Ed and Karen Pasela, the parents of the late Dawn Pasela, said, “We are so happy to support Wrongful Conviction Day, because our daughter Dawn fought so hard for justice and did everything she could to prevent wrongful convictions, details at www.JusticeForDawn.com.” Tony Viola, who was exonerated at a second trial after an initial conviction, said, “Wrongful convictions aren’t mistakes but intentional wrongdoing by prosecutors, who start with a conclusion and target people for prosecution, then hide or destroy evidence that doesn’t comport with their theory of the case. Ending rampant injustices and intentional wrongdoing by prosecutors should be a priority for all officials in our government.”

Event organizer Jeanna Kenney added, “If you have a loved one incarcerated who is fighting a wrongful conviction, we encourage you to join us, bring your family, and join us in solidarity to be boots on ground to #BringTheCrowdDowntown! We are also asking for help sharing the event on your social media pages and by inviting family and friends in person or by sharing our Facebook invitation: https://facebook.com/events/s/wrongful-conviction-dayawaren/510294401530399/ Also, we would welcome additional speakers and sponsors, so please reach out for further details.”

ABOUT EPIC- Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens: EPIC is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for fair laws and treatment within our penal system. We are currently fighting hard on Parole Reform and the treatment of incarcerated citizens throughout Ohio. We are a team built with amazing individuals who are passionate and dedicated to bring those deserving of a second chance HOME!

ABOUT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY KENDALL CORRAL: Kimberly Kendall Corral has successfully and aggressively defended a wide range of criminal cases from misdemeanors to capital homicide cases. Kim represents clients at all levels of criminal justice advocacy. This includes investigation, indictment, pre-trial motions practice, trial, direct appeals, post-conviction remedies, jurisdictional appeals, habeas corpus, and wrongful conviction litigation. Kim was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a client’s pardon with the President of the United States and White House Counsel. She was honored as a Rising Star in 2019 by Super Lawyers. Additional information about Attorney Kimberly Corral’s law practice and recent accomplishments can be found on her website, www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

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Newly Obtained Records confirms the FBI Destroyed Evidence in Tony Viola’s Criminal Case, while Disbarred Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett Now Admits he possessed voice recordings made by Dawn Pasela

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 20:26:58 +0000

Newly Obtained Records confirms the FBI Destroyed Evidence in Tony Viola’s Criminal Case, while Disbarred Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett Now Admits he possessed voice recordings made by Dawn Pasela

Records obtained in July, 2024 detail the destruction of files and evidence during pending court proceedings, despite court orders to produce records and voice recordings
FBI and Justice Department earlier admitted lying about evidence, see Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, et. al., case # 15-cv-242, WD Pa and # 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, brief by Yale Law School.
Disbarred federal prosecutor Mark Bennett now admits he was aware of voice recordings made by Dawn Pasela – who wore a wire and recorded defense trial strategy sessions. Previously, in response to a court order to produce these recordings, Bennett vociferously denying such tapes existed
FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf implicated in evidence destruction, illegal voice recordings

For Immediate Release

Cleveland, Ohio – August 2, 2024 -- FreeTonyViola.com announced today that it obtained documents from the FBI detailing the destruction of evidence during its prosecution of Tony Viola, who was convicted and imprisoned for a decade, then subsequently exonerated at a second trial. Newly obtained records detail the “disposing of the documents by shredding and discarding” per a 2/5/2018 email, produced by the FBI on July 18, 2024.Some documents “associated to the [redacted] Viola trial have been separated and secured,” but so-called INVESTIGATIVE materials were destroyed.Extensive redactions make it difficult to ascertain exactly what documents are considered “trial” records versus “investigative” records.This latest bombshell about the destruction of evidence follows a litany of wrongdoing concerning evidence in cases prosecuted by a multi-jurisdictional Mortgage Fraud Task Force.

Following receipt of the documents, which are available in the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker, an appeal to the Justice Department’s Office of Information Policy was filed, asking the Justice Department to inform the federal courts about the evidence destruction, and objecting to all redactions. Both the FBI and Justice Department have repeatedly redacted records and documents or simply refused to provide information, citing fake concerns about “privacy.” These “privacy” claims are undermined by the fact that FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf testified at multiple public trials and Mark Bennett actively sought the limelight while prosecuting mortgage fraud cases, appearing at press conferences, in press releases and even receiving an award for prosecuting Tony.

The Suspicious Death of Dawn Pasela

Born in 1985, Dawn (pictured above) graduated at the top of her class at Cleveland State and at Cuyahoga County Community College, and was hired by Prosecutors Dan Kasaris and Mark Bennett as Office Manager of a multi-jurisdictional Mortgage Fraud Task Force. One of the cases 1,000 cases prosecuted by the Task Force was that of real estate broker Tony Viola, who was indicted in both state and federal court for stealing $46 million in what prosecutors claimed was the “nation’s largest mortgage fraud case.” Tony never engaged in any mortgage origination, lending, underwriting or processing and never borrowed any funds himself, and maintained his innocence. When Bennett and Kasaris discovered their case against Tony was riddled with factual errors, they became concerned their high-profile case was about to fall apart. Instead of dismissing the case, they took the extraordinary step of directing Dawn to pose as paralegal working with local defense attorneys on similar cases, then offer to assist Tony’s defense. Dawn recorded a series of post-indictment conversations so prosecutors could obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Kasaris and Bennett also ordered Dawn to donate funds towards Tony’s legal fees so they could use her cancelled checks to identify the law firm's bank account. During this undercover operation, Dawn became concerned that these actions were wrong and that prosecutors were withholding key evidence in many Task Force’s prosecutions. Dawn offered to testify about prosecutorial misconduct but never made it to court. She was then found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances, details at www.JusticeForDawn.com.

Background – Admissions of Lying about Evidence

In 2015, Tony filed suit against the Justice Department and the Task Force, alleging that prosecutors Bennett and Kasaris, along with FBI Agent Jeff Kassouf, shifted exculpatory evidence between locations and jurisdictions to hide it before his first trial. The government initially claimed that the Task Force was a purely local endeavor, and the federal government was not responsible to search for evidence stored at the Task Force, or for any misconduct that took place there. Those statements were contradicted by the government’s own documents, which showed that the FBI repeatedly forwarded federal evidence to the Task Force location, and that the Task Force was federally funded and staffed by multiple federal agencies. Because the government’s own documents contradicted the government’s statements in its court pleadings, the Justice Department was ordered to conduct a new search for records, which resulted in both the FBI and Justice Department each admitting they made false statements about evidence in Tony’s case. Years of additional litigation followed, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 15-cv-242, W.D. Pa. In that same litigation, FBI Agent Kassouf admitted listening to tapes made by Dawn Pasela, the Task Force’s Office Manager, who was ordered to secretly record defense trial preparation sessions. According to Agent Kassouf, he could not produce those tapes because he sent them to the Task Force location.

In 2021, attorney Jaye Schlachet stated that his client and government witness Kathryn Clover, who had an affair with Prosecutor Dan Kasaris, was allowed to access and destroy evidence inside the Prosecutor’s Office. According to Schlachet, Clover’s “attempt to destroy evidence … was done for the purpose of defending against her own criminal prosecution and not to impede” Viola’s defense, Viola v. Clover, CV-20-936897, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

In 2022, Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland stated under oath that he directed Ms. Pasela to remove hard drives from the Task Force location for storage at her home. These hard drives, containing evidence in over 1,000 criminal cases, later went missing, according to Cleland.

Later in 2022, the United States Court of Appeals appointed The Yale Law School Appellate Clinic and the Law Firm of Wiggin and Dana to represent Tony Viola on a Pro Bono basis in Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Yale Law School Appellate Brief uploaded in the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

Mark Bennett’s Firing and Disbarment Proceedings

Mark Bennett’s wide ranging criminal activities throughout Tony Viola’s criminal proceedings include

Directing his Office Manager, Dawn Pasela, to illegally record a series of post-indictment conversations with Tony so prosecutors could obtain confidential defense trial strategy information, then failing to turn over the recordings made by Ms. Pasela, in violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16.

Covering up an affair between Prosecutor Dan Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover while Clover testified in criminal cases, then knowingly using Clover’s perjured testimony – see Bennett admission, USA v. Clover, 10-cr-75, ND Ohio, Docket # 46 and Clover PSI report, where Bennett claimed it was “in the interests of justice” to use perjured trial testimony in order to “win” the case.

Lying about the existence of a “conflict of interest” waiver to joint defense by multiple defense attorneys at trial, when no such conflict waiver exists, Viola v. Bennett, Viola v. Bennett, No. 17-cv-456, ND Ohio.

In 2020, Bennett was fired by the Justice Department for serious misconduct, see Inspector General Report Number 21-005 and Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, # 2022-034.

According to Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Bennett is not fit to practice law because “Bennett’s actions tainted the public trust. His conduct … undermined the credibility of and public faith in government, impeded the common good, and were not in the best interests of the American people ... he was also a representative of the United States and possessed all the powers that comes with that position. His actions demeaned both the legal profession and his government office,” Ohio Supreme Court Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-4752.

Bennett Changes his Story about Dawn Pasela

During Tony’s criminal proceedings and in post-conviction proceedings, Bennett continuously maintained that allegations that Dawn wore a wire or donated funds toward his legal fees were false, writing:

“Viola claims … Dawn Pasela secretly recorded conversations with Viola, post indictment.Viola also argues that prosecutors used cancelled checks from Pasela’s contributions to Viola’s legal defense fund to identify the fund’s bank account. … Viola’s claims of government misconduct relating to Pasela are not true … claims of government misconduct with respect to Pasela is blatantly untrue,”USA v. Viola, 08-cr-506, N.D. Ohio, Docket # 483, page 21, 6/16/15.

As of 2024, following his disbarment proceedings, Bennett claims:

“As part of trial preparation, the FBI Agent assigned to the federal trial learned of the recording from one of the agents working on the state prosecution case.Mr. Bennett immediately instructed the FBI agent to obtain a copy of the one recording and listen to the recording … Bennett advised the Agent to make copies … and provide it to defense counsel,” 2024 letter to Seeking Justice from Attorney Michael P. Harvey.

Multiple defense attorneys have stated in writing that Bennett’s statement is false, and that they never received any voice recordings, or they would have raised the issue in court at the time.Moreover, Bennett’s 2024 statements constitutes newly discovered evidence that he failed to comply with his constitutional responsibilities to provide the defense with recordings with a defendant’s voice on them before trial.

NEXT STEPS IN TONY’S QUEST FOR JUSTICE

Post-conviction litigation in Tony’s case has gone on for over a decade, and can be summarized as follows:

Attorney Kim Corral has called for a new investigation into the death of Dawn Pasela
Yale Law School submitted its brief about misconduct in Tony’s case in early 2023, and, following oral arguments, is awaiting a ruling by the Court
Tony’s investigative team continues to seek all records and evidence in his case, and multiple records cases are pending in the courts
An ongoing investigation by former FBI Agent Bob Friedrick is continuing. Any leads can be sent to Mr. Friedrick at Bob@FAInvestigations.com
A $10,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the killing of Dawn Pasela. This reward follows an investigative series by Seeking Justice, details at www.SeekingJusticeMedia.com.

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Disbarred Federal Prosecutor and Sexual Predator Mark Bennett Threatens to Sue Cold Case Volunteers Looking into the Suspicious Death of Whistleblower Dawn Pasela

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 20:09:37 +0000

Disbarred Federal Prosecutor and Sexual Predator Mark Bennett Threatens to Sue Cold Case Volunteers Looking into the Suspicious Death of Whistleblower Dawn Pasela

Bennett threatens to sue Creators of Seeking Justice, a YouTube Live Investigative Series
Seeking Justice Creators Challenge Bennett to point out any inaccurate statements
Bennett’s threats follow efforts by Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris to quash stories exposing his affair with government witness Kathryn Clover

Background

Shortly after the launch of Seeking Justice, a YouTube LIVE investigative series focused on mounting evidence that the 2012 death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela was the result of foul play, Mark Bennett and his attorney Michael Harvey, threatened to sue the series creators, claiming Bennett was being “defamed.”

The Seeking Justice series was created by cold case volunteers and sought to elicit the public’s help examining new clues and fresh witness statements about the suspicious 2012 death of Dawn Pasela. Dawn, who served as Office Manager for Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris, was found dead in her apartment as she was about to testify about wrongdoing inside the Prosecutor’s Office. The series followed discovery of new evidence and a 2023 Sheriff investigation that the Parma police ignored procedures, failed to collect multiple cell phones or any evidence, erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer and failed to take any action to reopen the case – even after a directive to do so. During the series, interviews were conducted with private investigator Bob Friedrick, retired law enforcement officials, the Pasela family, and Attorney Kim Corral – all of whom stated a new investigation into what happened to Dawn should be launched. In addition, a $10,000 reward leading to the arrest of a suspect in Dawn’s killing was announced, full details and series episodes are available at www.SeekingJusticeMedia.com.

Bennett’s Threat to file a Lawsuit Followed his Firing for Assaulting an Intern and Lengthy Disbarment Proceedings

Mark Bennett, who supervised Dawn Pasela, threatened litigation even though national and international news organizations widely covered Bennett’s firing by the US Attorney’s Office, disbarment proceedings and findings by the Ohio Supreme Court, where Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy wrote that Bennett was not fit to practice law and “Bennett’s actions tainted the public trust. His conduct … undermined the credibility of and public faith in government, impeded the common good, and were not in the best interests of the American people ... he was also a representative of the United States and possessed all the powers that comes with that position. His actions demeaned both the legal profession and his government office,” Disciplinary Counsel v. Bennett, Slip Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-4752.

Bennett’s Disbarment, Criminal Activities Widely Reported

Because Mark Bennett was a powerful government official who actively sought the limelight, his disbarment proceedings attracted widespread attention. Moreover, his brazen misconduct – including assaulting an intern, lying about the contents on his government computer, making false statements to investigators, and sexually harassing a half dozen women, and soliciting sex from co-workers were detailed in Justice Department Inspector General Report # 21-005.

Bennett’s misconduct the subject of multiple investigations available on government websites, including that of the Department of Justice, the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel and a 37 page ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court, which is also publicly available. Bennett’s wrongdoing also been widely covered by journalists from Reuters, Law 360, WKBN-TV, Cleveland.com, The Ohio Channel, Buzzfeed, and many others.

Summary of Mark Bennett’s Wrongdoing and Misconduct throughout Tony Viola’s Criminal Proceedings

Bennett’s ‘win at all costs’ style of prosecuting American citizens was on full display during USA v. Viola, 08-cr-506, ND Ohio, where Bennett’s wide ranging criminality included:

Directing his Office Manager, Dawn Pasela, to illegally record a series of post-indictment conversations with Tony so prosecutors could obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Bennett also failed to turn over the recordings made by Ms. Pasela, in violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16.

Covering up an affair between Prosecutor Dan Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover while Clover testified in criminal cases

Knowingly using the perjured testimony of Kathryn Clover – an admission Bennett made in writing, USA v. Clover 10-cr-75, ND Ohio, Docket # 46; also see the Clover PSI report, where prosecutors claimed it was “in the interests of justice” to use perjured trial testimony in order to “win” the case.

Making materially false statements that Tony executed a “conflict of interest” waiver to joint defense at trial, when such was not the case, please see Viola v. Bennett, No. 1:2017-cv-00456 - Document 10 (N.D. Ohio 2017)

Lying about evidence, as both the FBI and Justice Department blame Mr. Bennett for making material misrepresentations about evidence in the criminal case, Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, et. al., 15-cv-242, WD Pa, document numbers 99 and 164. Also see case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, brief submitted on Tony’s behalf by Yale Law School.

Bennett’s threats of Litigation and Seeking Justice Response

In Bennett’s letter threatening litigation (that communication and the full response by Seeking Justice are available in the Evidence Locker of FreeTonyViola.com), Bennett complains that other news outlets have defamed him – and he expects Seeking Justice will also defame him, so he threatened litigation. In its response, Seeking Justice made clear that:

It was not responsible for the statements of other organizations;
Bennett was a powerful government official who actively sought the limelight and was a “public person” for First Amendment purposes
Bennett should cite with specificity any statement on the Seeking Justice, Uncovered.com, JusticeForDawn.com or www.FreeTonyViola.com website that is false, or which (if any) documents are not authentic.

As of 2024, however, Bennett now offers a new explanation:

Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Daniel Kasaris and his Attorney, David “Chip” Comstock, also Attempt to Silence Journalists

Attorney David “Chip” Comstock and Prosecutor Dan Kasaris have also threatened journalists and bloggers highlighting criminal activities of Kasaris. Individuals threatened with prosecution, or who were actually prosecuted, include Elsebeth Baumgartner, Brian “BZ” Douglas, Ashli Ford and others. In addition, Kasaris threatened to imprison Tony as a result of the publication of hundreds of emails between Kasaris and government witness (and Kasaris paramour) Kathryn Clover on the FreeTonyViola.com website, which included Kasaris’ own racist emails detailing his opinions about “Africans” and “Jews,” discussions of using false testimony at trial, talking about altering documents inside the prosecutor’s office as well as the publication of over 100 pages of Facebook messages from Susan Kasaris, the wife of Daniel Kasaris, complaining about his affair with Clover.

Since 2016, Kasaris – who has been elected to public office on multiple occasions and who maintains a campaign fund -- issued a series of written and verbal threats to prosecute or re-imprison Tony or anyone assisting with the website, alleging the statements violated Ohio Revised Code 2921.03(A) by hindering a public official carrying out his lawful duties. To read the pleadings in the First Amendment case, please see Viola v. Yost, et. al., Case No. 2:21-cv-3088, S.D. Ohio

“The walls are closing in on Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris,” said Tony Viola. “For decades, these prosecutors felt invincible and acted with impunity as their reckless behavior destroyed lives and caused the death of Dawn Pasela. As we continue to expose criminal actions of Kasaris and Bennett, more and more journalists and citizens are taking note. We are working hard to having Bennett and Kasaris arrested and imprisoned for their actions. We are also seeking justice and accountability for what Bennett and Kasaris did to Dawn Pasela.”

The FreeTonyViola investigative and legal team is currently unearthing new evidence of serious wrongdoing by Bennett and Kasaris. If you have any information about wrongdoing by these individuals, please reach out to the FreeTonyViola.com investigative team, or submit a tip anonymously anytime on line. To read the Bennett threats to file a lawsuit against cold case volunteers, or to review the Seeking Justice response to Bennett, please visit the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

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‘Dinner for Dawn’ Set for Friday, June 7th, to Honor Dawn Pasela’s Bravery in the Face of Injustice and Build Support for a New Investigation into Dawn’s Suspicious Death

Tue, 07 May 2024 21:01:25 +0000

‘Dinner for Dawn’ Set for Friday, June 7th, to Honor Dawn Pasela’s Bravery in the Face of Injustice and Build Support for a New Investigation into Dawn’s Suspicious Death

Doors open at 5 PM, Dinner 6-730 at VFW, 6805 Lear Nagle Rd, North Ridgeville, OH 44039

Benefit follows conclusion of Weekly Investigative Series about Dawn’s suspicious death, several successful rallies and new evidence in her case.

Yale Law School Appellate Clinic Awaiting Court Rulings on court filings about voice recordings and documents; Attorney Kim Corral continues advocating for a new investigation into events leading up to Dawn’s death

The goals of the event are to build our Community of Supporters, Raise Funds for Future Events, Share ideas and Brainstorm about Next Steps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – May 8, 2024 – FreeTonyViola.com and JusticeForDawn.com announced today that announced today that a Chinese Auction and Spaghetti dinner benefit to assist Dawn’s family and friends will be held Friday, June 7^th at the VFW in North Ridgeville, Ohio. This event builds on recent momentum for a new investigation into what happened to Dawn, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was about to testify about misconduct by prosecutors. The June 7^th event continues our efforts to raise awareness of how Dawn was treated and petition powerful government officials to drive change and accountability in our justice system.

This fun filled event brings our community of supporters together for an enjoyable evening including a delicious spaghetti dinner ($15 per person), along with door prize giveaways, a 50/50 raffle, the chance to win gift baskets and gift cards, and brainstorming about next steps. All funds raised will support future events or be used to raise awareness and promote Dawn’s cause.

RSVPs are appreciated, please visit the Justice For Dawn Facebook page and invitation, or purchase tickets now via CashApp: $Justice4DawnPasela.

SEEKING JUSTICE INVESTIGATIVE SERIES PRESENTATION

This event will include a presentation by Seeking Justice, who recently established an anonymous tip line, (580) 8-SJ-TIPS or (580) 875-8477, so anyone can submit any information about the death of Dawn Pasela or information about any of the key players in this case. To submit a tip, individuals can visit JusticeForDawn.com and view multiple ways to get in touch with Dawn’s legal or investigative team, or reach out directly to the creators of Seeking Justice at SeekingJusticeShow@gmail.com.

STATEMENTS FROM THE PASELA FAMILY

Edward and Karen Pasela, the parents of Dawn Pasela, said “We welcome everyone to join us as we celebrate Dawn’s life, work together to obtain new information about what happened to our daughter and get together for a fun evening. We know Dawn would appreciate everyone’s support and we hope to see you on June 7^th.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE AVAILABLE

Detailed background information about Dawn Pasela, the results of a Sheriff investigation into Dawn’s death, original source documents and a summary of newly discovered evidence can be found at www.JusticeForDawn.com.

Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, features Dawn’s case on their website, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela.

To learn more the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, or to review court filings by Tony’s attorneys at Yale Law School or Attorney Kim Corral, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

Seeking Justice is providing investigative resources and assistance to Dawn’s family and legal team. To subscribe to the Seeking Justice YouTube Channel or watch the Seeking Justice series, including past episodes, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SeekingJusticeShow.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

# # #

Attorney Kim Corral Calls for New Investigation into Suspicious Death of Dawn Pasela, Discusses evidence that disbarred Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett lied about voice recordings

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 23:28:09 +0000

Attorney Kim Corral Calls for New Investigation into Suspicious Death of Dawn Pasela, Discusses evidence that disbarred Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett lied about voice recordings Dawn Pasela made before Tony Viola's federal trial

Attorney Kim Corral added her voice to that of Seeking Justice and other former law enforcement officials and publicly called for an entirely new investigation into the death of Dawn Pasela. During an April, 2024 interview that aired on Seeking Justice’s YouTube Live channel, Kim discussed her advocacy on behalf of Dawn’s family and reviewed her interactions with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, who also recommended this case be reopened after discovering that Dawn’s computer was missing when she was found dead under mysterious circumstances, and that multiple witnesses have been overheard talking about Dawn’s “murder.” Despite significant new evidence in Dawn’s case and a recommendation by a law enforcement agency, the Parma, Ohio Police Department refuse to investigate Dawn’s death or allow other agencies to take over the investigation.

The same episode of Seeking Justice reviewed new admissions made in 2024 by former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett, who was fired by the Justice Department and sanctioned by the Ohio Supreme Court. In a 2015 court filing, Bennett called allegations that Dawn wore a wire or donated funds towards Tony Viola’s legal fees “blatantly untrue” but in a February 24, 2024 admission, Bennett now states that he “instructed the FBI Agent to … listen to the recording” and “provide it to defense counsel.” However, defense attorneys have stated in writing that no such recordings were ever provided, nor were they disclosed to any parties in criminal proceedings.

To watch Kim's interview, kindly click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWbGX1l3QmI&t=2696s

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Seeking Justice Announces Toll Free Tip Line and Reiterates $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest of a Suspect in the Murder of Dawn Pasela

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:31:34 +0000

Seeking Justice Announces Toll Free Tip Line and Reiterates $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest of a Suspect in the Murder of Dawn Pasela

Seeking Justice, airing live Wednesdays at 7 PM EST, tells the story of Dawn Pasela, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was set to testify at Tony Viola’s second criminal trial about misconduct by federal and state prosecutors
New tip line -- (580) 8-SJ-TIPS or (580) 875-8477 -- provides the public with an anonymous way to call or text information about Dawn’s murder
$10,000 reward follows newly discovered evidence and a 2023 Sheriff investigation that the local police ignored procedures, failed to collect multiple cell phones or any evidence, erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer and failed to take any action to reopen the case – even after a directive to do so

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – March 28, 2024 – FreeTonyViola.com, jointly with Seeking Justice, Uncovered.com, and JusticeForDawn.com, announced today that it has established an anonymous tip line, (580) 8-SJ-TIPS or (580) 875-8477, so anyone can submit any information about the death of Dawn Pasela or information about any of the key players in this case. The tip line follows the announcement of a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Dawn Pasela, who was found dead shortly after her expected testimony about prosecutorial misconduct during the criminal trial of Tony Viola

The reward was announced during the first episode of Seeking Justice, a YouTube Live series that reviews mounting evidence that the death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela was the result of foul play. Seeking Justice is interviewing multiple experts who examine new clues and fresh witness statements about Dawn’s death, while also seeking input and assistance from the public to solve the case. The new tip line was announced during the March 27 episode and can be viewed anytime on the Seeking Justice YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@SeekingJusticeShow.

To submit a tip, individuals can also visit JusticeForDawn.com and view multiple ways to get in touch with Dawn’s legal or investigative team, or reach out directly to the creators of Seeking Justice at SeekingJusticeShow@gmail.com.

STATEMENTS FROM THE PASELA FAMILY

Edward and Karen Pasela, the parents of Dawn Pasela, said “We hope that someone comes forward with key evidence to solve the case, so we know exactly what happened to our daughter Dawn.”

STATEMENT FROM SEEKING JUSTICE SERIES CREATORS ANDREA CIPRIANO, DANA POLL & LEXI KAKIS

“At Seeking Justice we believe it’s never too late to uncover the truth. We are hopeful that creating this tip line encourages anyone with information to come forward. You can remain anonymous. Remember, even if your information seems small, it could be the key detail that investigators need to bring Dawn's killer to justice and provide closure to her loved ones after all these years.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE

Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, features Dawn’s case on their website, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela.

To learn more the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, or to review court filings by Tony’s attorneys at Yale Law School or Attorney Kim Corral, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

# # #

Seeking Justice Announces $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest of a Suspect in the Murder of Dawn Pasela

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 01:14:20 +0000

Seeking Justice Announces $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest of a Suspect in the Murder of Dawn Pasela

Seeking Justice, airing live Wednesdays at 7 PM EST, tells the story of Dawn Pasela, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was set to testify at Tony Viola’s second criminal trial about misconduct by federal and state prosecutors
$10,000 reward follows newly discovered evidence and a 2023 Sheriff investigation that the local police ignored procedures, failed to collect multiple cell phones or any evidence, erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer and failed to take any action to reopen the case – even after a directive to do so

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – March 1, 2024 – FreeTonyViola.com, jointly with Seeking Justice, Uncovered.com, and JusticeForDawn.com, announced today that an anonymous donor has pledged a $10,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Dawn Pasela.

The reward was announced during the first episode of Seeking Justice, a YouTube Live series that reviews mounting evidence that the death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela was the result of foul play. Seeking Justice is interviewing multiple experts who examine new clues and fresh witness statements about Dawn’s death, while also seeking input and assistance from the public to solve the case. To watch the series trailer, or to view previous episodes of the show, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@SeekingJusticeShow.

To submit a tip, please visit JusticeForDawn.com and view multiple ways to get in touch with Dawn’s legal or investigative team, or reach out directly to the creators of Seeking Justice at SeekingJusticeShow@gmail.com.

STATEMENTS FROM THE PASELA FAMILY

Edward and Karen Pasela, the parents of Dawn Pasela, said “We are grateful that a $10,000 reward is now available. We hope that someone comes forward with key evidence to solve the case, so we know exactly what happened to our daughter Dawn.”

STATEMENT FROM SEEKING JUSTICE SERIES CREATORS ANDREA CIPRIANO, DANA POLL & LEXI KAKIS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE

Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, features Dawn’s case on their website, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela.

To learn more the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, or to review court filings by Tony’s attorneys at Yale Law School or Attorney Kim Corral, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

# # #

Seeking Justice Series Highlights Unsolved Murder: The Death of Whistleblower Dawn Pasela

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 13:23:42 +0000

Seeking Justice Series Highlights Unsolved Murder: The Death of Whistleblower Dawn Pasela

Series begins Wednesday February 28 at 7 PM EST and tells the story of Dawn Pasela, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was set to testify about misconduct by federal and state prosecutors in Cleveland, Ohio
Program follows newly discovered evidence and a 2023 Sheriff investigation that the local police ignored procedures, failed to collect multiple cell phones or any evidence, erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer and failed to take any action to reopen the case – even after a directive to do so
The series includes EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS with the Pasela family, Attorney Kim Corral and never before heard audio recordings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – February 9, 2024 – FreeTonyViola.com, along with Uncovered.com and Seeking Justice, jointly announced that an upcoming YouTube Live Series will commence February 28 at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time and reveal mounting evidence that the death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela was the result of foul play, and to examine new clues and fresh witness statements about Dawn’s death. To watch the series trailer, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSgNXqGdljc

BACKGROUND

Born in 1985, Dawn graduated at the top of her class at Cleveland State and at Cuyahoga County Community College, and was hired by Prosecutors Dan Kasaris and Mark Bennett as Office Manager of a multi-jurisdictional Mortgage Fraud Task Force.

One of the cases 1,000 cases prosecuted by the Task Force was that of real estate broker Anthony Viola, who was indicted in both state and federal court for stealing $46 million in what prosecutors claimed was the “nation’s largest mortgage fraud case.” Viola maintained his innocence, and when Bennett and Kasaris became concerned their high-profile case was about to fall apart, they took the extraordinary step of directing Dawn to pose as a graduate student studying criminal justice and working with local defense attorneys on similar cases, then offer to assist Viola’s defense. Pretending to be a paralegal, Dawn recorded a series of post-indictment conversations with Viola so prosecutors could obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Kasaris and Bennett also ordered Dawn to donate funds towards Viola's legal fees so they could use her cancelled checks to identify the law firm's bank account. During this undercover operation, Dawn became concerned that these actions were wrong and that prosecutors were withholding key evidence in many Task Force’s prosecutions.

Viola was convicted in federal court but subsequently exonerated at a second trial after Dawn provided Viola with exculpatory evidence prosecutors failed to produce before the first trial. Dawn had offered to testify about prosecutorial misconduct but was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances, including:

Three cell phones were found in her apartment – including one with an outbound call long after the supposed time of Dawn’s death
The heat in her apartment was set very high to accelerate body decomposition
Her computer, containing evidence in a myriad of criminal cases, was missing.
Even though the heat was cranked up, the window in her apartment was left open, and could have been used by an assailant to exit her apartment
Dawn’s blood alcohol content close to .60 was inconsistent with the police photos taken at the scene

More recently, evidence mounted that Dawn’s death was the result of foul play, and that multiple individuals had reason to harm her, including:

In 2020, Facebook messages from the wife of Dan Kasaris established that Kasaris was having an affair with government witness Kathryn Clover, who testified in dozens of criminal cases on behalf of prosecutors. New records also confirm that Kasaris destroyed his own computer the day Dawn died.
In 2020, the Justice Department blamed Mark Bennett for making false statements about evidence in Viola’s case. Bennett was fired by the Justice Department and suspended from the practice of law, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; DOJ Inspector General Report Number 21-005.
In 2022, Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland stated that Dawn possessed hard drives from the Task Force that contained evidence in hundreds of state and federal criminal cases -- establishing that many individuals could have harmed Dawn in an effort to obtain key evidence.
Records obtained in 2023 establish tht the Parma Police didn’t call an ambulance to Dawn’s apartment but a mortuary service.
A 2023 review of Dawn’s case by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office established that the Parma Police violated procedures and failed to collect cell phones or any evidence. Police also failed to canvass the area around Dawn’s apartment, interview witnesses, obtain surveillance video, or coordinate any investigation with the Medical Examiner’s Office.
In 2023, Dawn’s friend Jason Samide confirmed that Dawn reached out to him shortly before her death, asking for his help
In 2023, new evidence indicated that Marty Maurer was the last person to see Dawn alive and may possess critical information about what happened to Dawn. Maurer has refused to cooperate with any investigation.
Despite specific directives by the County Sheriff to the Parma Police, that department refuses to follow any recommendations or turn the file to another investigative agency.

Viola is represented by Yale University Law School and Cleveland-based Attorney Kimberly Kendall Corral, who are pursuing litigation in which former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett was blamed for making false statements about evidence, and where the government has been ordered to produce the voice recordings made by Dawn, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Attorney Corral is also representing the Pasela family and has requested a new investigation into Dawn’s death.

STATEMENT FROM SEEKING JUSTICE SERIES CREATORS ANDREA CIPRIANO, DANA POLL AND LEXI KAKIS

"Dawn’s loved ones have spent more than a decade searching for the truth. They’ve experienced heartache, unimaginable pain, and ongoing grief. When we learned about Dawn’s story, we knew she was an advocate to her core. But, her work was left unfinished. We feel compelled to carry her torch, seeking justice. It’s never too late to uncover the truth."

STATEMENT FROM ATTORNEY KIM CORRAL

"Our investigative agencies should be accountable to the people. In 2023, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's office identified serious deficiencies in the Parma Police Department's investigation of the death of Dawn Pasela. More importantly, they identified necessary investigative steps that should be taken now. Parma must refer this investigation to an outside law enforcement agency. We will not allow this injustice to continue. I stand proudly with Dawn's family because what they are asking for is reasonable and there is no legitimate purpose not to fairly investigate Dawn’s death."

STATEMENTS FROM THE PASELA FAMILY

Mrs. Karen Pasela, Dawn’s Mother, said, “We went to the Parma Police close to two years ago in good faith and provided them with a great deal of evidence that required a new investigation. We provided city officials details about the theft of Dawn’s computer from her apartment, autopsy photos showing bruising on her neck and her broken necklace, transcripts detailing conversations about Dawn’s ‘murder’ and records that Dan Kasaris destroyed his own computer on the very the day Dawn died. In July of 2022, the Parma Police promised to turn this file over to Ohio BCI’s Cold Case Unit, but then gave us one excuse after another as to why that wasn’t done, leaving us to investigate this case on our own. We hope that more people will come forward and share what they know.”

STATEMENT FROM TONY VIOLA

“Dawn helped me and wanted to help many others, and If it wasn’t for her, I’d still be in prison now. I am extremely grateful for the support of so many people seeking justice for Dawn. Anyone who has any information about what happened to Dawn should contact us or submit an anonymous tip through our website.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE

Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, features Dawn’s case on their website and is providing investigative resources and assistance, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela.

To subscribe to the YouTube Channel or to watch the series live or after each broadcast, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SeekingJusticeShow

To learn more about Dawn, or to review the County Sheriff’s directives to the Parma Police, or review other source documents, kindly visit www.JusticeForDawn.com. To learn more the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, or to review court filings by Yale Law School or Attorney Kim Corral, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

# # #

Ohio Supreme Court Sanctions Fired Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett, finds “widespread” Misconduct, Use of “his position of power to sexually assault” an intern

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:04:51 +0000

Ohio Supreme Court Sanctions Fired Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett, finds “widespread” Misconduct, Use of “his position of power to sexually assault” an intern

Chief Justice Sharron Kennedy found Bennett’s “Suspension Is Necessary to Protect the Public”
Inspector General Report details two decades of wrongdoing, lying during government proceedings, Inspector General Report 21-055
Justice Department blamed Bennett for making false statements about evidence in a case involving voice recordings made by deceased whistleblower Dawn Pasela, 15-cv-242, WD Pa.
Bennett fondled an intern’s breasts, demanded nude photos and abused his authority as a prosecutor to solicit sex

The Ohio Supreme Court issued an opinion sanctioning former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett for “widespread” wrongdoing, including his conditioning professional assistance to an intern on her willingness to provide sexual favors, Disciplinary Counsel v. Bennett, Slip Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-4752. The Court’s ruling detailed instances of sexual assault, including Bennett placing his hand on the intern’s breasts, and utilized evidence from a forensic analysis of Bennett’s government computer to retrieve messages from Bennett stating he

“Can[’]t wait to have it,” in reference to the intern’s butt, which he informed her “was looking wide for a while there.” He later texted her, “Damn [you] for making me think about it again,” with “it” being a reference to sexual activity, then asked “Why do you haunt my dreams?”
Looked up a co-worker’s skirt or was “looking at [her] butt” on different occasions
Texted an intern about her sex life. Even though Bennett was blocked on Snapchat, Facebook and even though his cell number was blocked, Bennett continued making unwanted sexual advances, causing the intern to relocate to an office 100 miles away.
When told to stop, Bennett refused, stating he could do whatever he wanted: “Oh, I play poker with judges every Thursday and I’m so well connected.”

Chief Justice Sharron Kennedy wrote that “Bennett’s actions tainted the public trust. His conduct … undermined the credibility of and public faith in government, impeded the common good, and were not in the best interests of the American people ... he was also a representative of the United States and possessed all the powers that comes with that position. His actions demeaned both the legal profession and his government office.

The Department of Justice Inspector General also detailed serial wrongdoing by Bennett, including “physically and verbally harassing” women for two decades, demanding nude photos from colleagues, committing “sexual imposition”, insisted on “a sexual favor in exchange for a letter of recommendation” for an intern because he was excited about the “size” of her “buttocks.” Bennett was caught “deliberately running his arm across the breast,” of a colleague and purchased jewelry for married co-workers. Bennett also lied to investigators about utilizing a myriad of social media platforms to troll women on line – Bennett used Snapchat, Facebook messenger, Twitter, Skype messages and other means to solicit sex. Bennett falsely claimed he didn’t log onto social media sites from his government computer, saying he “completely avoided those sites” because he feared his computer could be infected with “viruses.” A forensic analysis of Bennett’s computer showed he logged into Facebook and Twitter “more than 25 times” and made a number of false statements to investigators.

In addition to the Ohio Supreme Court’s ruling, builds on the earlier findings of a Department of Justice Inspector General Investigation, both the FBI and Justice Department also blamed Mark Bennett for making material misrepresentations about evidence in the criminal case of Anthony Viola, Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, et. al., 15-cv-242, WD Pa, document numbers 99 and 164. Viola was exonerated at a subsequent criminal trial but spent a decade in prison.

Yale University Law School represents Viola in proceedings where Bennett concealed an affair between Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover, used Clover’s perjured testimony in criminal cases, and shifted exculpatory evidence before Viola's first trial from the US Attorney’s Office to a multi-jurisdictional task force location. Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. This litigation confirms that, prior to Viola’s first trial, Bennett directed his Office Manager, Dawn Pasela, to pose as a graduate student studying criminal justice and record a series of post-indictment conversations with Viola. Ms. Pasela also donated finds towards Viola's legal fees so Bennett could use her cancelled check to identify the law firm's bank account and obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Later, Ms. Pasela came forward to assist Viola and provided him with exculpatory evidence Bennett failed to produce before the first trial. During Viola’s second trial, she was threatened with prison and found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances, please see www.uncovered.com/cases/Dawn-Pasela.

All of the investigative reports, court decisions and admissions by Mark Bennett of wrongdoing have been uploaded to the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker. To learn more about how Tony Viola proved his innocence at a second trial using evidence Mark Bennett suppressed before his first trial, or for additional details about misconduct committed by Mark Bennett in mortgage fraud prosecutions, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com. To learn more about Dawn Pasela, kindly visit www.JusticeForDawn.com.

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Prosecutors Mark Bennett, Dan Kasaris and Criminal Defendant Marty Maurer Potential ‘Persons of Interest’ in Suspicious Death of Dawn Pasela

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:04:53 +0000

Prosecutor Dan Kasaris, Disbarred Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett and Criminal Defendant Marty Maurer Named Potential ‘Persons of Interest’ in Suspicious Death of Dawn Pasela

 Whistleblower Dawn Pasela found dead under suspicious circumstances as she was about to testify about Prosecutorial Misconduct by Bennett and Kasaris

 Kasaris destroyed his computer the day Dawn died

 Illegal voice recordings & affair between Kasaris and government witness at issue

 Three cell phones found at death scene but not collected by the Police

 Uncovered.com Accepts Dawn’s Case, now gathering new evidence

 Yale Law School accepts evidentiary case on behalf of Anthony Viola seeking recordings, additional evidence, while Attorney Kim Corral now representing the Pasela Family

The death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela as she was scheduled to testify in open court about misconduct committed by Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris has long been seen as too convenient of a coincidence to believe. Her passing, initially attributed to an alcohol overdose with a blood-alcohol content of .59, followed a cursory autopsy and a police investigation that failed to interview a single witness or even collect any evidence. Suspicions of foul play have swirled for years but no hard evidence emerged, leaving Dawn’s family and friends not only heartbroken, but distraught about the circumstances surrounding her death. Now, newly discovered evidence, which is summarized below, establishes that Dawn’s death was no ‘accidental overdose’ of alcohol but the result of foul play. Dawn Pasela, who volunteered at the Parma Animal Hospital, Fostered Rescue dogs before their adoption by local families.

A Summary of Newly Discovered Evidence Throughout 2022 and 2023, a torrent of new evidence and witness statements have established that Dawn’s death was the result of foul play, including the pending disbarment of former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett, who was fired by the Justice Department, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; DOJ Inspector General Report Number 21-005. Additional evidence includes the following:

 Law enforcement recently questioned Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris about his appearance at Dawn’s apartment shortly before her death.

 Newly obtained documents and witness statements identify criminal defendant Marty Maurer – who was at Dawn’s apartment just hours before she died -- as a potential person of interest, and an individual who possesses information about what happened to Dawn.

 After an exhaustive search for EMS or ambulance records, it was finally determined that the Police never called an ambulance – they called a mortuary service to Dawn’s apartment.

 Newly obtained medical examiner photos raise several new questions – including possible bruising on Dawn’s neck, the discovery of three cell phones at the death scene and the appearance of Energy Drinks – which Dawn didn’t like – in her apartment.

 A new statement from former Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland confirms Dawn wore a wire in an illegal spying operation and was given all of the evidence in over 1,000 criminal cases to stash at her apartment – seemingly making her a target of anyone who was aware these materials were at her residence.

A more detailed narrative along with key supporting documents provide additional context and background on all that’s taken place and is now available at www.JusticeForDawn.com or in the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

# # #

Rally Seeking Justice for Dawn Pasela set for Wednesday, November 1, 4:30 – 6 PM at Parma City Hall, 6611 Ridge Road, Parma, OH 44129

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:19:59 +0000

Rally Seeking Justice for Dawn Pasela set for Wednesday, November 1, 4:30 – 6 PM at Parma City Hall, 6611 Ridge Road, Parma, OH 44129

New evidence confirms foul play in death of Dawn Pasela
Cuyahoga County Sheriff states initial investigation by Parma Police ignored Police Procedures, failed to collect multiple cell phones or any evidence, erred in not investigating Dawn’s missing computer and failed to interview any witnesses
Attorney Kim Corral is Keynote Speaker at the event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – October 4, 2023 – FreeTonyViola.com announced today that a rally to demand justice and accountability for those responsible for the death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela will be held Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 4:30 – 6:00 PM in front of Parma City Hall. The rally follows newly discovered evidence confirming Dawn was the victim of foul play and the City of Parma’s refusal to investigate or allow other law enforcement agencies to investigate Dawn’s death.

BACKGROUND

Dawn Pasela, 26, was scheduled to testify as a defense witness for criminal defendant Tony Viola about misconduct by prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris in his case and 1,200 criminal cases prosecuted by a multi-jurisdictional Task Force. Viola was charged with stealing $46 million in what prosecutors called “the Nation’s Largest Mortgage Fraud Scheme,” but Viola maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Dawn Pasela, the Task Force’s Office Manager, stated that Bennett and Kasaris suppressed evidence proving the innocence of Viola and hundreds of defendants and that Kasaris was having an affair with government witness Kathryn Clover. During Viola’s second trial, Bennett and Kasaris threatened Dawn with prosecution and prison for assisting Viola and ordered her to leave town. She did not appear in court as scheduled, but was found dead shortly thereafter in her apartment in Parma, Ohio under suspicious circumstances. Specifically, three cell phones were found in her apartment, the heat was set very high to accelerate body decomposition and her computer was missing. According to the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Parma Police failed to collect the cell phones or any evidence, canvass the area around Dawn’s apartment, interview witnesses, obtain surveillance video, or coordinate any investigation with the Medical Examiner’s Office. That agency found an excessively high blood alcohol level of .59, but only performed a cursory autopsy and did not gather any further evidence, later concluding that Dawn’s death was accidental.

In 2022, Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland stated under oath that he directed Ms. Pasela to remove hard drives from the Task Force that contained evidence in hundreds of state and federal criminal cases and bring that evidence to her apartment -- bolstering the contention that investigating the disappearance of Dawn’s computer is central to this case. Other newly discovered evidence includes confirmation that an outbound call on a cell phone in Dawn’s apartment was made well after the stated time of her death and documents that established that the Parma Police didn’t call an ambulance to Dawn’s apartment but a mortuary service. In addition, multiple witnesses have come forward stating they have heard Kasaris family members discussing Dawn’s “murder.” Despite new evidence and a series of investigative recommendations by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff, the city refuses to conduct any investigation. In 2023, after an exhaustive review of evidence, Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, accepted Dawn’s case and is providing investigative resources and assistance, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela.

Thanks to evidence provided by Dawn, Viola was exonerated at a subsequent criminal trial but still spent a decade in prison. Viola is currently represented by Yale University Law School and Cleveland-based Attorney Kimberly Kendall Corral. Yale and Ms. Corral are pursuing litigation in which former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett concealed an affair between Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover, knowingly used Clover’s perjured testimony in criminal cases, destroyed evidence, “lost” computers seized in televised raids, listened to tapes made by Dawn Pasela but shifted those tapes and exculpatory evidence before Viola's first trial from the US Attorney’s Office to the task force location where Dawn Pasela worked, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In that litigation, both the FBI and Department of Justice admitted making false statements about evidence in Viola’s case. In 2020, Bennett was fired by the Justice Department and is currently undergoing disbarment proceedings, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; DOJ Inspector General Report Number 21-005.

In September, 2023, a jury verdict in Ohio v. Keaton, Mahoning County, 2022 CRB 390, established that Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris continues to perpetrate a fraud on the court by presenting his current girlfriend, Kelly Connors, as a “victim” and a “witness” in criminal cases without disclosing the nature of his relationship with Connors, which includes Kasaris managing her finances through a Special Needs Trust and a maintaining a Power of Attorney over her.

STATEMENTS FROM THE PASELA FAMILY

“Holding a rally in front of Parma City Hall is not something we wanted to do,” said Mrs. Karen Pasela, Dawn’s Mother. “We went to the Parma Police over a year ago in good faith and provided them with a great deal of evidence that required an investigation by the proper authorities. We provided city officials details about the theft of Dawn’s computer from her apartment, autopsy photos showing bruising on her neck and her broken necklace, transcripts detailing conversations about Dawn’s ‘murder’ and records that Dan Kasaris destroyed his own computer on the very the day Dawn died. In July of last year, the Parma Police promised to turn this file over to Ohio BCI’s Cold Case Unit, but gave us one excuse after another as to why that wasn’t done. Meanwhile, we continue to gather more and more new evidence, including the fact that the police called a mortuary service, not an ambulance, and new witness statements supporting our claims. We are putting this rally together hoping that more people will come forward and share what they know.”

STATEMENT FROM TONY VIOLA

“We have provided law enforcement officials with a massive amount of documentary evidence that a new investigation into Dawn Pasela’s death should be reopened at once, but law enforcement officials continue to protect each other. Not only do these actions destroy the public’s confidence in the fair administration of justice, the way powerful prosecutors treated Dawn is wholly unacceptable. We are grateful for the support of so many people seeking justice for Dawn and for our efforts to hold Prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris accountable for their actions,” said Tony Viola.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The rally is being held pursuant to a City of Parma Permit # 2303, which allows free parking in adjacent City Lot at City Hall. The keynote speaker is Attorney Kim Corral, who represents Tony Viola and the Pasela family and is advocating for a new investigation into Dawn’s death. Additional information about Ms. Corral can be found at https://www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

Complementary appetizers will be provided at Antonio’s in the Shoppes at Parma, 7401 West Ridgewood Drive, immediately after the event. Everyone is welcome to join us at the rally or at Antonio’s, make their voices heard, and to provide any suggestions and ideas, but to do so in a peaceful and respectful way.

DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ALSO AVAILABLE: To learn more about Dawn, or to review the County Sheriff’s directives to the Parma Police, or review other source documents, kindly visit www.JusticeForDawn.com. To learn more the criminal prosecution of Tony Viola, or to review court filings by Yale Law School or Attorney Kim Corral, please visit www.FreeTonyViola.com.

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Mounting Evidence of Criminal Activities by Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris Presented in New Court Filing, Confirmed by Jury Verdict in Mahoning County Criminal Case

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 20:38:35 +0000

Mounting Evidence of Criminal Activities by Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris Presented in New Court Filing, Confirmed by Jury Verdict in Mahoning County Criminal Case

Kasaris implicated in suspicious death of his Office Manager Dawn Pasela, interviewed by Law Enforcement as Person of Interest
Kasaris’ Sexual Relationships with government witnesses Kelly Connors, Kathryn Clover & others at issue in criminal cases
Kasaris emails detail altering documents in criminal cases and allowing paramours to access evidence inside the prosecutor’s office
Knowing use of Kathryn Clover’s perjured testimony mars state and federal criminal cases
Kasaris partner in Task Force prosecutions, former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett, facing disbarment proceedings
Kasaris’ wife Susan’s Facebook posts confirm his sexual relationships with witnesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – September 15, 2023 – FreeTonyViola.com announced today that a jury verdict in Ohio v. Keaton, Mahoning County, 2022 CRB 390, and a recent court filing by Tony Viola confirm that Senior Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris perpetrated a fraud on the court by presenting his girlfriends Kelly Connors, Kathryn Clover and others as a “victims” or “witnesses” in criminal cases without disclosing the nature of his relationship with these women to jurors, courts or defense counsel. In addition to a sexual relationship with Kelly Connors, Dan Kasaris also controls her finances through a “Special Needs Trust” and maintains a Power of Attorney over Connors – additional facts that have never been disclosed to the defense or the Court. In addition to using his position as a prosecutor to solicit sex, Kasaris has also been questioned by law enforcement concerning the suspicious death of his Office Manager turned whistleblower, Dawn Pasela, Viola v. Kasaris, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Case No. CV-21-951041, Court of Appeals No. 23-112497.

Government witness Kathryn Clover had a five year long sexual relationship with Kasaris. The Justice Department conceded that Clover committed perjury during her testimony in criminal trials. 600 pages of emails between Kasaris and Clover include racist emails, discussions about "massages" and "hand jobs" and also establish that Kasaris himself allowed Clover full access to "tubs" of evidence in criminal cases. When Clover’s husband Matt Fairfield became aware of the Kasaris-Clover affair and objected, Kasaris had Fairfield arrested and imprisoned. Later, Clover’s attorney, Jaye Schlachet, admitted that Clover destroyed evidence inside the prosecutor’s office, saying that her “attempt to destroy evidence … was done for the purpose of defending against her own criminal prosecution and not to impede” Viola’s defense, Viola v. Clover, CV-20-936897, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Kasaris is also involved in a sexual relationship with government witness Kelly Connors, who Kasaris maintains a power of attorney over and is trustee of her Special Needs Trust – but Kasaris never obtained permission from the Ohio Attorney General to engage in these outside activities. Connors and Kasaris had a fight in 2020 and separated, at which time Connors began assisting Tony Viola’s investigative team by providing information and written statements to Viola. Later, Connors began publishing Kasaris emails and posting comments on social media sites about Kasaris and his role in the death of Kasaris Office Manager Dawn Pasela.

Dawn Pasela, 26, was found dead as she was scheduled to testify about misconduct by Kasaris, who directed her to pose as a graduate student studying criminal justice and working with local defense attorneys on similar cases. Kasaris and his colleague, former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett, ordered Dawn to record a series of post-indictment conversations with Viola so prosecutors could obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Kasaris and Bennett also directed Dawn to donate funds towards Viola's legal fees so prosecutors could use her cancelled check to identify the law firm's bank account and subpoena its records. After providing evidence Viola used to gain an acquittal at a second trial, Kasaris and Bennett threatened Dawn with prosecution and imprisonment if she appeared as a defense witness. Earlier this year, Parma Police Chief Joseph Bobak confirmed that he “met with Dan Kasaris yesterday to discuss his background with Dawn Pasela,” while multiple law enforcement agencies have stated a new investigation into Dawn’s death should be launched. Additional details about what happened to Dawn can be found at www.JusticeForDawn.com.

Mark Bennett was aware of the Kasaris-Clover affair and her perjury but he utilized her as a government witness at trial. Bennett was fired by the Justice Department for serious misconduct and criminal activities and is currently undergoing disbarment proceedings, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; Department of Justice Inspector General Report Number 21-005, Ohio Supreme Court Case Number 2023-0471. The FBI and Justice Department also blamed Mark Bennett for making material misrepresentations about evidence in the criminal case of Anthony Viola, Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, et. al., 15-cv-242, WD Pa, document numbers 99 and 164.

Kasaris paramour Kelly Connors accessed evidence and assisted Kasaris prepare for the trial of former Niles, Ohio Mayor Ralph Infante and testified as a government witness in a criminal case where Kasaris served as a “victim advocate” and assisted the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office, but on September 13, 2023, jurors acquitted the defendant, Ohio v. Keaton, Mahoning County, 2022 CRB 390. Attorney Peter Pattakos, who defended Tammy Keaton, said, “Thank you to the fine people of Canfield, Ohio, where eight jurors from the community took EIGHT MINUTES to come back with a NOT GUILTY verdict for our client, who is a single mother in her 50s who was being prosecuted for telecommunications harassment.”

Kasaris makes little effort to conceal his affairs with government witnesses, posing for Facebook photos with Connors and entertaining Clover baseball games, local bars in Downtown Cleveland, inviting her to restaurants in nearby Lakewood and to his apartment in North Royalton. Kasaris helped Clover obtain a scholarship to attend law school for free, but while the United States Attorney’s Office in Cleveland stated in writing that Clover committed perjury while testifying in criminal cases, no prosecutor has ever withdrawn her false testimony at criminal trials, preferring that innocent citizens remain imprisoned.

Local Attorneys Caught Covering Up Kasaris Misconduct -- Attorneys Jaye Schlachet, John Patrick and David Comstock have conceded to the facts set forth here at an evidentiary hearing in the courtroom of Judge John P. O’Donnell, but claimed they had no obligation to report misconduct by Kasaris because of Attorney-Client Privilege, but the recently filed brief in Viola v. Kasaris argues that the crime fraud exception applies to communications between an attorney and client which are “intended in some way to facilitate or to actively conceal a crime or fraud.” Sutton v. Stevens Painton Corp., 193 Ohio App.3d 68, 96, 951 N.E.2d 91 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011). Courts have repeatedly held that attorney-client privilege may not be asserted to conceal an attorney’s cooperation with the client’s wrongdoing. These attorneys are aware of the Kasaris-Clover affair, the Kasaris-Connors affair and the illegal undercover operation that led to the death of Dawn Pasela, and now a court will determine whether or not their actions are lawful.

Attorneys Patrick, Comstock and Schlachet are also violation of Ohio Rule of Professional Conduct 8.3(a), “Reporting Professional Misconduct” which provides that “A lawyer who knows that another lawyer has committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial question as to that lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects, shall inform the appropriate professional authorities.” However, these attorneys show no sign of following their lawful obligations. According to Attorney John Patrick, the brother of Dan Kasaris, the “police are trying to sweep this under the rug … if they think no one is watching.”

“The question now is how much longer Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost can continue to employ Dan Kasaris as a prosecutor,” said Tony Viola. “As usual, the best evidence we have of criminal activities by Prosecutors Bennett and Kasaris are their own emails and written communications. We are once asking the Ohio Attorney General to fire Dan Kasaris and facilitate a proper investigation into his affairs with government witnesses and his actions that caused the death of Dawn Pasela.”

To review court filings, read the Kasaris-Clover emails, view Susan Kasaris’ Facebook posts or read Kelly Connors’ communications and other key documents, please see Viola v. Kasaris, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Case No. CV-21-951041, Court of Appeals No. 23-112497, or please visit the FreeTonyViola.com Evidence Locker.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but was exonerated at a subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

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Rally Seeking Justice for Dawn Pasela set for Wednesday, August 30, 4:30 – 6 PM at Parma City Hall, 6611 Ridge Road, Parma, OH 44129

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 17:31:57 +0000

Rally Seeking Justice for Dawn Pasela set for Wednesday, August 30, 4:30 – 6 PM at Parma City Hall, 6611 Ridge Road, Parma, OH 44129

New evidence confirms foul play in death of Dawn Pasela
Parma Police Caught Lying to Family, Ignoring Police Procedures, refusing to follow investigative leads outlined by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff and Preventing other law enforcement agencies from investigating Dawn’s death

For Additional Information, Contact: Tony Viola 330-998-329 * MrTonyViola@ICloud.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – August 2, 2023 – FreeTonyViola.com announced today that a rally to demand justice and accountability for those responsible for the death of whistleblower Dawn Pasela will be held Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 4:30 – 6:00 PM in front of Parma City Hall. The rally follows the discovery of new evidence confirming Dawn was the victim of foul play and the City of Parma’s refusal to investigate or allow other law enforcement agencies to investigate Dawn’s death.

BACKGROUND

Whistleblower Dawn Pasela, 26, was scheduled to testify as a defense witness for criminal defendant Tony Viola about misconduct by prosecutors Mark Bennett and Dan Kasaris in his case and 1,200 criminal cases prosecuted by a multi-jurisdictional Task Force. Viola was charged with stealing $46 million in what prosecutors called “the Nation’s Largest Mortgage Fraud Scheme,” but Viola maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Dawn Pasela, the Task Force’s Office Manager, was aware that Bennett and Kasaris suppressed evidence proving the innocence of Viola and hundreds of defendants and that Kasaris was having an affair with government witness Kathryn Clover. During Viola’s second trial, Bennett and Kasaris threatened Dawn with prosecution and prison for assisting Viola and ordered her to leave town. She did not appear in court as scheduled, but was found dead shortly thereafter in her apartment in Parma, Ohio under suspicious circumstances. Specifically, three cell phones were found in her apartment, the heat was set very high to accelerate body decomposition and her computer was missing. According to the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Parma Police failed to collect the cell phones or any evidence, canvass the area around Dawn’s apartment, interview witnesses, obtain surveillance video, or coordinate any investigation with the Medical Examiner’s Office. That agency found an excessively high blood alcohol level of .59, but only performed a cursory autopsy and did not gather any further evidence, later concluding that Dawn’s death was accidental.

In 2022, Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland stated under oath that he directed Ms. Pasela to remove hard drives from the Task Force that contained evidence in hundreds or state and federal criminal cases and bring that evidence to her apartment -- bolstering the contention that investigating the disappearance of Dawn’s computer is central to this case. Other newly discovered evidence includes confirmation that an outbound call on a cell phone in Dawn’s apartment was made well after the stated time of her death and documents establishing that the Parma Police didn’t call an ambulance to Dawn’s apartment but a mortuary service. In addition, multiple witnesses have come forward stating they have heard Kasaris family members discussing Dawn’s “murder.” Despite new evidence and a series of investigative recommendations by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff, the city refuses to conduct any investigation. In 2023, after an exhaustive review of evidence, Uncovered.com, the nation’s largest database of cold cases, accepted Dawn’s case and is providing investigative resources and assistance, details at https://uncovered.com/cases/dawn-pasela.

STATEMENTS FROM THE PASELA FAMILY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The rally is being held pursuant to City of Parma Permit # 2009, which allows free parking in adjacent City Lot at City Hall. Everyone is welcome to join us and make their voices heard, and to provide any suggestions and ideas, but to do so in a peaceful and respectful way. Complementary appetizers will be provided at a nearby restaurant immediately after the event.

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Landmark case against FBI tampering with evidence in mortgage fraud convictions

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:56:17 +0000

Landmark case against FBI tampering with evidence in mortgage fraud convictions; Oral arguments July 13, 2023, Link here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLSXp4JMYiFc7BHD_ln3d-w

Yale University Law School Brief Followed FBI and Justice Department admissions of making false statements about evidence
Court ordered government to explain relocation of records and tapes to the Task Force location, failure to disclose that evidence
Prosecutors invasion of defense trial preparation, illegal voice recordings made by deceased Task Force Office Manager Dawn Pasela at issue

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, kindly contact: Attorney David Roth,
203.498.4394 | droth@wiggin.com | www.law.yale.edu
or Tony Viola, 330-998-3290 | MrTonyViola@ICloud.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – July 4, 2023 – FreeTonyViola.com announced today that The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ordered oral arguments on Thursday, July 13 at 10 AM, following the submission of a legal brief by the Yale Law School Appellate Clinic in litigation concerning missing evidence, voice recordings made by Dawn Pasela and documents shifted from the US Attorney’s Office in Cleveland to a multi-jurisdictional Task Force location before criminal trials, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case # 22-2186. The Court will livestream these oral argument on its YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLSXp4JMYiFc7BHD_ln3d-w. After the argument, the audio will be posted at: https://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings.

Tony Viola was tried twice on identical charges by a federally funded Mortgage Fraud Task Force on allegations he duped banks, including JP Morgan Chase, into making 'no money down' mortgage loans. Following a conviction in federal court, Tony proved his innocence at a second trial in state court, on identical charges, prosecuted by the same prosecution team, using evidence prosecutors said didn't exist, but that was given to Viola by the Task Force's Office Manager, Dawn Pasela. Ms. Pasela offered to testify about prosecutorial misconduct, but was found dead in her apartment shortly after her scheduled testimony, but no investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death has ever taken place.

This public records litigation was initiated in 2015 to obtain proof that federal prosecutors possessed exculpatory evidence before Viola’s first trial, shifted those materials to a federally funded and staffed Task Force location, then claimed that the government was not obligated to search for records it placed there. During this litigation, both the Justice Department and the FBI each admitted making false statements about evidence and records, then asked the lower court to vacate earlier rulings in the government’s failure.

In 2022, Task Force Chairman Donald Cleland stated under oath that he directed Ms. Pasela to remove hard drives from the Task Force that contained evidence in over 1,000 criminal cases and later went missing. Also, in 2022, the Justice Department blamed former federal prosecutor Mark Bennett for false statements about evidence. Bennett was fired by the Justice Department and is currently undergoing disbarment proceedings, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; DOJ Inspector General Report Number 21-005.

Cleveland-based Attorney Kimberly Kendall Corral utilized newly discovered evidence to file a petition to vacate Viola’s federal conviction, based on the destruction of exculpatory evidence by prosecutors, use of coerced testimony and the undisclosed use of an “advocate witness” at trial. In federal court, Mark Bennett falsely informed jurors that government witness Kathryn Clover was a “fact witness” testifying based on her personal knowledge of events, but Clover was actually a paid paralegal working inside the prosecutor’s office, and in a romantic relationship with state prosecutor Daniel Kasaris, In re: Anthony Viola, Case No. 23-3050, Sixth Circuit.

“The structure of this multi-jurisdictional Task Force was utilized to screen witnesses and shift evidence between locations and jurisdictions, often beyond the control of the judges overseeing federal and state prosecutions. If these actions are permitted, the government’s obligation to produce exculpatory evidence before trials or plea negotiations no longer exists – prosecutors can simply shift exculpatory evidence, illegal voice recordings or public records to a different building, then claim they no longer possess or control such records. Evidence Mark Bennett stashed at the Task Force not only impacts my case but wholly undermined the government's theory in all of the Task Force’s prosecutions and may result in hundreds of criminal convictions being reopened.”

“Finally,” Viola added, “We are also asking for a full investigation into the death of Dawn Pasela and request that all records concerning Ms. Pasela be made public at once."

ABOUT THE YALE LAW SCHOOL APPELLATE CLINIC: The Yale Law School Appellate Litigation Project provides legal representation to pro se appellants with meritorious civil cases pending before the court. For additional information about the clinic, please visit www.law.yale.edu/clinics/our-clinics.

ABOUT APPOINTED COUNSEL: David Roth is a Visiting Clinical Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School and Counsel in Wiggin and Dana’s Litigation Department. Mr. Tadhg Dooley is a Visiting Clinical Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School and an associate in the Appellate and Complex Legal Issues Group at Wiggin and Dana LLP in New Haven. Additional information is available at www.wiggin.com.

ABOUT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY KENDALL CORRAL: Kimberly Kendall Corral has successfully and aggressively defended a wide range of criminal cases from misdemeanors to capital homicide cases. Kim represents clients at all levels of criminal justice advocacy. This includes investigation, indictment, pre-trial motions practice, trial, direct appeals, post-conviction remedies, jurisdictional appeals, habeas corpus, and wrongful conviction litigation. Kim was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a client’s pardon with the President of the United States and White House Counsel. She was honored as a Rising Star in 2019 by Super Lawyers. Additional information about Attorney Kimberly Corral’s law practice and recent accomplishments can be found on her website, www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

ABOUT FREETONYVIOLA.COM: FreeTonyViola.com’s mission is to shine a bright spotlight on the ‘win at all costs’ tactics, prosecutorial overreach and misconduct the United States Department of Justice employs when prosecuting American citizens. Tony Viola was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of state, local and federal agencies, and prosecuted in parallel federal and state cases. He lost the federal case but won the subsequent state trial. The website, originally created to solicit leads for Tony’s investigative team, has evolved into a tool to keep the public informed about critical developments in his case, and to share information that could potentially assist others who have been wrongfully ensnared by our criminal justice system. For additional information, visit http://www.FreeTonyViola.com, friend us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tony.viola.9212, or follow us on Twitter @TonyViola.

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Rally for Justice Set for Tuesday June 27 at 5 PM, at the Ohio Supreme Court in Columbus, on the eve of Disbarment Proceedings against Former Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 23:44:41 +0000

Rally for Justice Set for Tuesday June 27 at 5 PM, at the Ohio Supreme Court in Columbus, on the eve of Disbarment Proceedings against Former Federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett

Rally highlights Bennett’s two decades of sexual assault, false statements & misconduct that led to incarceration of hundreds of innocent citizens
Yale Law School Legal Brief details Bennett misconduct, suppression of evidence in 1,000 criminal cases prosecuted by joint Task Force
Attorney Kim Corral highlights Bennett’s use of perjured testimony to win cases and covering up an affair with government witness Kathryn Clover
Bennett threatened his Office Manager, Dawn Pasela, who was found dead in her apartment as she was scheduled to testify about Bennett’s misconduct at the second trial of Anthony Viola

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – June 15, 2023 – FreeTonyViola.com announced today that, on the eve of Ohio Supreme Court disbarment proceedings against former federal Prosecutor Mark Bennett, a Rally for Justice will be held outside the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 27^,5-7 PM, 65 S Front St, Columbus, OH 43215. In 2020, Mark Bennett was fired by the Justice Department for serious misconduct and criminal activities and is currently undergoing disbarment proceedings, Disciplinary Counsel v, Bennett, case number 2022-034; Department of Justice Inspector General Report Number 21-005, Ohio Supreme Court Case Number 2023-0471. A hearing about Bennett’s pending disbarment will be held the morning of June 28 and will be live streamed by the Ohio Supreme Court’s Ohio Channel.

According to the Inspector General, Mark Bennett “physically and verbally harassed” women for two decades, demanded nude photos from colleagues, committed “sexual imposition”, insisted on “a sexual favor in exchange for a letter of recommendation” for an intern because he was excited about the “size” of her “buttocks.” Bennett was caught “deliberately running his arm across the breast,” of a colleague and purchased jewelry for married co-workers. Bennett also lied to investigators about utilizing a myriad of social media platforms to troll women on line – Bennett used Snapchat, Facebook messenger, Twitter, Skype messages and other means to solicit sex. Bennett falsely claimed he didn’t log onto social media sites from his government computer, saying he “completely avoided those sites” because he feared his computer could be infected with “viruses.” A forensic analysis of Bennett’s computer showed he logged into Facebook and Twitter “more than 25 times” and made a number of false statements to investigators.

In addition to the Inspector General Investigation, The FBI and Justice Department also blamed Mark Bennett for making material misrepresentations about evidence in the criminal case of Anthony Viola, Viola v. U.S. Department of Justice, et. al., 15-cv-242, WD Pa, document numbers 99 and 164. Viola was exonerated at a subsequent criminal trial but spent a decade in prison. Yale University Law School represents Anthony Viola in a case where Bennett concealed an affair between Assistant Ohio Attorney General Dan Kasaris and government witness Kathryn Clover, used Clover’s perjured testimony in criminal cases, and shifted exculpatory evidence before Viola's first trial from the US Attorney’s Office to a multi-jurisdictional task force location, Viola v. Department of Justice, et. al., case number 22-2186, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Prior to Viola’s first trial, Bennett directed his Office Manager, Dawn Pasela, to pose as a graduate student studying criminal justice and record a series of post-indictment conversations with Viola. Ms. Pasela also donated finds towards Viola's legal fees so Bennett could use her cancelled check to identify the law firm's bank account and obtain confidential defense trial strategy information. Later, Ms. Pasela came forward to assist Viola and provided him with exculpatory evidence Bennett failed to produce before the first trial. During Viola’s second trial, she was threatened with prison and found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances, www.uncovered.com/cases/Dawn-Pasela.

In 2023, Attorney Kim Corral recently submitted a detailed court filing about Bennett’s misconduct during the Viola prosecution that led to the death of Dawn Pasela, In re: Anthony Viola, Case No. 23-3050, Sixth Circuit, and JusticeForDawn.com.

Despite overwhelming evidence of criminal activities by Mark Bennett, the Ohio Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel is only pursuing a tiny portion of the Bennett misconduct identified in government investigations and has refused repeated requests by Viola and the family of Dawn Pasela to meet with investigators and submit additional evidence about Bennett’s wrongdoing. The Disciplinary Counsel has refused to investigate the following:

The affair between Assistant Ohio A.G. Dan Kasaris and Government Witness Kathryn Clover, who lied in criminal trials & grand jury proceedings, USA v. Clover, 10-cr-75, N.D Oh, Docket # 46.
$20 million in Restitution in “mortgage fraud” cases is missing or unaccounted for
Bennett’s destruction of Evidence in Criminal Cases
Bennett’s materially false statements during criminal proceedings that led to the incarceration of innocent citizens
Bennett’s threats to indict the wives of criminal defendants unless the testified falsely in court proceedings

Documentary evidence in support of all statements made above can be found on line in the Evidence Locker of FreeTonyViola.com. Scheduled speakers at the event are exonerees, Jamie Sell from the Wrongful Conviction Support Group on Facebook, author Bob Grundstein and representatives from the family of Dawn Pasela. Additional speakers are welcome to join us at the event and should contact Tony Viola for details.

ABOUT THE YALE LAW SCHOOL APPELLATE CLINIC: The Yale Law School Appellate Litigation Project provides legal representation under the supervision of attorneys from the law firm of Wiggin and Dana to pro se appellants with meritorious civil cases pending before the court. For additional information about the clinic, please visit www.law.yale.edu/clinics/our-clinics, or www.wiggin.com.

ABOUT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY KENDALL CORRAL: Kimberly Kendall Corral has successfully and aggressively defended a wide range of criminal cases from misdemeanors to capital homicide cases. Kim represents clients at all levels of criminal justice advocacy. This includes investigation, indictment, pre-trial motions practice, trial, direct appeals, post-conviction remedies, jurisdictional appeals, habeas corpus, and wrongful conviction litigation. Kim was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a client’s pardon with the President of the United States and White House Counsel. She was honored as a Rising Star in 2019 by Super Lawyers, please see www.kimlawcrimlaw.com.

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