By Dick LaFontaine and Richard Luthmann
In a fiery interview on The Unknown Podcast with Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe, Wall Street Fiduciary Asser Manager and whistleblower David Weigel unveiled shocking allegations about corruption in the family court system.
Whistleblower David Weigel Sounds Alarm on National Crisis
Weigel, founder of the Family Court Fraud Warrior project (familycourtfraudwarrior.com), shared how his decade-long battle in Manhattan Family Court has exposed what he calls a “business model of misery” in the judicial system.
“This isn’t just incompetence,” Weigel said. “This is by design. Judges and lawyers exploit families for profit, and the system protects them.”
Weigel has taken his fight public, leveraging data analysis and AI to uncover systemic fraud. He calls on government officials like Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz and figures such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to take action.
“Designer Child Trafficking”: A System Built on Incentives
Weigel introduced a chilling term—“designer child trafficking”—to describe the exploitation of children in family courts. He claims judges and attorneys manipulate custody battles to maximize financial gain, often at the expense of children and parents.
“This is legalized child exploitation,” Weigel said. “The courts use children as pawns in a game where the only winners are the lawyers and judges.”
Central to this scheme, Weigel explained, is Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The federal program incentivizes states to collect child support, creating a profit motive for prolonged custody disputes.
“In 2022, the federal government reimbursed $3.6 billion to states for child support enforcement,” Weigel said. “That money fuels this corrupt system.”
The Human Toll: Weigel’s Personal Ordeal
Weigel didn’t just speak in hypotheticals—he shared his harrowing experiences as a victim of what he calls the “silver bullet divorce strategy.” Over the course of his 13-year divorce battle, he was arrested five times, spent time in Rikers Island, and was labeled a criminal without evidence.
“They’ve never conducted financial discovery in my case,” Weigel said. “They just pick a number out of thin air and call it child support.”
Weigel described his time in Rikers as “psychological torture,” recounting moments of sheer survival.
“I sat in a violent offenders' prison, listening to people brag about horrific crimes, while half the room was there for violating restraining orders,” he said.
Judicial Misconduct and Attorney Collusion
Weigel didn’t hold back in naming names. He accused Manhattan Family Court Judge Tandra Dawson and attorney Daniel Nottes of operating at the heart of the corruption.
“Dawson’s courtroom is a front for extortion,” Weigel alleged. “She lets lawyers lie with impunity and calls it judicial discretion.”
Weigel cited damning data about Nottes, revealing that 75% of his cases were assigned to just two judges.
“That’s statistically impossible without fraud,” Weigel said. “It’s a smoking gun.”
He also slammed the lack of accountability within oversight bodies.
“I filed complaints with the judicial misconduct board, and they didn’t even pretend to investigate,” Weigel said. “They dismissed my evidence without a single phone call.”
AI and Data Analysis: Exposing the Scheme
Weigel highlighted his innovative use of AI and quantitative analysis to uncover patterns of fraud in family courts.
“AI doesn’t have bias,” he said. “It looks at numbers and reveals truths that the system tries to hide.”
By analyzing court records, Weigel’s AI system identified irregularities like biased rulings, fabricated evidence, and financial conflicts of interest.
“In my case, 84% of court time was given to the opposing side,” he said. “That’s not just bias—it’s malpractice.”
Weigel believes AI can be a game-changer, not only exposing corruption but also providing transparency in a system designed to obfuscate. “Transparency is the enemy of fraud,” he said.
A Call to Action: Reform or Collapse
Weigel ended the interview with a stark warning and a plea for action. He called on leaders to eliminate Title IV-D funding and appoint a national children’s advocate with prosecutorial powers.
“Cutting off the money supply is the first step,” Weigel said. “The courts care about revenue, not justice.”
He also urged victims to speak out.
“The system counts on our silence,” he said. “Every time someone shares their story, it chips away at their power.”
Despite the toll of his fight, Weigel remains resolute.
“They’ve taken my savings, my reputation, and time with my kids,” he said. “But I’m still here. And I won’t stop until this system is exposed for what it is—a racket.”
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