A former Orange County, New York, prosecutor accused of accepting bribery payments died in an apparent suicide at his home as federal agents arrived to arrest him, sources familiar with the matter told NBC New York.
The FBI had arrived at the home of Stewart Rosenwasser to take him into custody Tuesday morning, the day a federal indictment was unsealed alleging that he accepted at least $63,000 in bribe payments while he was chief counsel to the Orange County District Attorney's Office and executive assistant district attorney.
Rosenwasser was indicted on charges of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, honest services wire fraud, extortion under color of official right and making false statements.
Two sources familiar with the case told NBC New York that Rosenwasser is alleged to have pointed a gun at FBI agents when they arrived at his Campbell Hall home. At least one shot was fired by the FBI, they said.
Rosenwasser barricaded himself and then apparently took his own life, the sources said.
The FBI told the station that its Inspection Division is "reviewing an agent-involved shooting."
"As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide," the agency said.
The indictment alleges that Rosenwasser used his authority in the district attorney's office to investigate and prosecute two people at the request of his co-defendant and provide confidential information to the co-defendant, a self-proclaimed millionaire and former restaurant owner.
Rosenwasser seized money from the two people that would be paid to the co-defendant "as restitution," the indictment alleges. The people are close relatives of the co-defendant.
According to the indictment, the co-defendant paid Rosenwasser $15,000 by check in November 2022 and texted him a month later: "I give my word at the end you will be extremely more than happy." It alleges that the bribe payments continued until May 2024 and that in total the co-defendant paid Rosenwasser at least $63,000 by money order, check and cash.
Federal prosecutors accused Rosenwasser of trying "to conceal his criminal conduct" by lying about the nature of his relationship with the co-defendant to senior leadership at the district attorney's office.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said in a statement that it was "truly heartbreaking that it ended this way."
"My heartfelt condolences go out to his family," he said.
Rosenwasser received several awards during his time in the district attorney’s office, including the Arson Prosecutor of the Year Award last year. He quietly resigned in June, NBC New York reported.
