By Rick LaRivière with Richard Luthmann
Richard Luthmann didn’t hold back on the latest episode of The Unknown Podcast. The outspoken host launched a fierce attack on Beermann LLP, accusing the Chicago law firm of orchestrating a doxxing campaign targeting his elderly father.
“My dad, who’s in his 70s with a heart condition, shouldn’t have to sit behind his door with a Glock,” Luthmann said, clearly angry. “These cowards put him in harm’s way, thinking they could hide behind fake accounts.”
Luthmann has already filed a criminal complaint against the doxxers, and he suspects the trail will lead straight back to Beermann LLP. Luthmann believes sock-puppets connected to Beermann LLP are responsible. He says the firm retaliated after he exposed its questionable billing practices and conduct in family law cases.
He vowed to track the digital trail, which he thinks will lead “straight to the Chicago Loop” or “a golf course, where Beermann does most of its ‘work.’”
Doxxing’s Dangerous Impact on Families
Explaining doxxing, Luthmann described it as “the intentional release of personal information to intimidate and endanger.”
The tactic has become a weapon of harassment, often leaving vulnerable individuals at risk. Recently, it has been court-sanctioned as a tool in scorched-earth litigation. For Luthmann, this isn’t an abstract issue; it’s personal.
“They got some of my addresses wrong and posted my father’s instead,” he said. “Now he’s armed and waiting. It’s disgusting behavior.”
Doxxing, Luthmann continued, is part of a broader intimidation strategy aimed at silencing critics. He sees it as the latest in a series of moves to deter those who expose corrupt actions in court cases.
Luthmann’s Message to Beermann LLP
Luthmann issued a pointed warning to Beermann LLP. “I’m coming for you,” he said.
Beermann LLP did not respond to previous request for comment. However, Luthmann says he’s tracing IP addresses and gathering evidence, adding, “If I can link this back to Beermann, I’m going after their licenses … This is personal. You crossed a line with my family, and I’m holding you accountable.”
Luthmann vowed to keep pursuing justice for his father and exposing what he sees as the abuse of power by firms like Beermann.
Luthmann also said that targeting “civilians” was a major violation. He said that Beermann LLP managing partner John D’Arco should know better as a mafia / La Cosa Nostra legacy. D’Arco’s grandfather was a made member of ‘The Outfit.” His father, a former Illinois State Senator, went to federal prison for connections to organized crime.
According to Luthmann, the servers for these email addresses are housed in Switzerland, among other places. He thinks they’ll be fair game. Luthmann believes that if a criminal investigation is opened anywhere in the country, he will be able to get the full IP records. He’s confident because of who John D’Arco is.
“They brought my family in, so I’m going to bring in theirs. Beermann’s Managing Partner’s grandfather, John D’ Arco Sr., was, according to a former FBI agent, a ranking member of the Chicago Mob. He was also an Alderman and Ward Committeeman of the infamous 1st Ward. Classic Chicago - as crooked as they come,” Luthmann said.
Luthmann says he is very concerned that someone might come to “whack” him, or even worse, his senior citizen father, who isn’t even involved.
“My dad is a civilian, as squeaky clean as they come. For Christ’s sake, the guy is an Eagle Scout. They should have never dragged him into this,” Luthmann said. “Thank God for his sake, Florida has the ‘castle doctrine.’ DeSantis even said it: when you go into a house in Florida, you don’t know what’s behind that door.”
Luthmann says he worries even more because D’Arco’s father isn’t “clean” either.
John D'Arco, Jr., is a former attorney and Illinois state legislator. As a result of Operation GAMBAT, the United States government tried and convicted him of corruption involving his relationship with the Chicago Outfit.
“Maybe John D’Arco should ask his dad what it’s like when they look up your prison purse. Better yet, now that there is potential litigation, I can promise him that journalists and private investigators will become very cozy with him in Fort Lauderdale. When he eats corn, I’ll know when and how many kernels come out of his ass,” Luthmann said.
Luthmann is ready for war with the entire D’Arco clan. And he doesn’t think he’ll be the only one.
“Daddy D’Arco is a big-time Democrat Party Crook. He writes poetry that he uses to piss on Donald Trump,” Luthmann said. “It’s my opinion Daddy D’Arco says it exactly how his son and that whole law firm feels. And between the Madigan trial and Trump coming in and fixing the Feds and the DOJ come January, all their chickens will soon be coming home to roost.”
Luthmann called the entire issue “selective” and “weaponized” justice.
“If they weaponized justice against me and Trump and a slew of others for ‘Falsification,’ then what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. And I think Beermann and D’Arco’s goose will be cooked,” Luthmann said.
Luthmann said that Beermann LLP “fucked up” when they “made it personal.”
“John D’Arco is a sad Chicago Italian-American. He’s a ‘Wonderbread WOP.’ He knows nothing about family, loyalty, respect, or tradition. He attacked my senior citizen father. It’s on,” Luthmann said.
Luthmann declared, “This is the gauntlet, John D’Arco. You know where to find me—one side of the street or the other.”
The Girard Case and Beermann’s Role in Family Court
In addition to the doxxing incident, Luthmann and co-host Michael Volpe discussed Beermann LLP’s involvement in the controversial Girard custody case. The case centers on severe abuse allegations against Ms. Girard, who is accused of physically and sexually abusing her daughters. Rather than address these claims, Luthmann argued, the court has allowed Beermann LLP and its appointees—therapists, custody evaluators, and guardians—to perpetuate the case.
“Beermann LLP has turned this into a cash cow,” Luthmann charged. He believes the firm and its court appointees ignore the abuse and keep focusing on supposed “parental alienation” by the father.
“They don’t care about justice,” Volpe added. “They’re milking every dime they can.”
The Girard case exemplifies what Luthmann and Volpe call the “divorce industrial complex.”
Volpe explained that Beermann’s business model hinges on stretching cases out indefinitely, allowing its associates and court appointees to bill thousands of dollars.
Systemic Corruption in Family Courts
Beyond individual cases, The Unknown Podcast episode also addressed what the hosts consider widespread corruption in family courts, especially in states like Connecticut and Illinois. Volpe criticized a system that routinely sides with abusers, driven by financial motives.
“People ask why family courts side with the abuser—this is why,” Volpe explained. “Courts can appoint guardians, therapists, and more ‘experts’ if they drag the case out.”
Luthmann also took issue with the lack of accountability for judges. In Connecticut, he said, entrenched power structures make it nearly impossible to campaign against judicial incumbents.
“The system protects itself,” he argued. He shared that judges up for re-election rarely face scrutiny due to limited media coverage and public awareness.
The Ambrose and Riordan case illustrates these biases. Promising a forthcoming article, Luthmann described Judge Thomas O’Neill’s actions as “blatantly misogynistic.”
Luthmann cited recent rulings dismissing claims by Karen Riordan based on stereotypical views of women as “emotionally unstable.”
For him, this is yet another example of a judiciary biased against women.
Paul Boyne’s Battle for Free Speech
The episode also highlighted the ongoing legal saga of Paul Boyne, a Connecticut blogger jailed for over 15 months. Boyne faces charges for alleged threats against judges on his blog, but Luthmann and Volpe argue his comments fall within free speech protections.
“Paul was clever,” Luthmann explained. “He’d say things like, ‘It’d be nice if someone exercised their Second Amendment rights,’ but he never issued a direct threat.”
Boyne’s case raises critical First Amendment issues, with Volpe citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Watts v. United States, which allowed a man to claim, “If I’m drafted, I’ll shoot LBJ first.”
If such a statement was deemed protected speech, Volpe argued, Boyne’s comments should also be legally protected.
“They’re only prosecuting him because he’s exposing the corruption in Connecticut’s family courts,” Volpe said.
Trump’s Victory and a Flawed Campaign Strategy
Reflecting on the recent election, Luthmann and Volpe analyzed Donald Trump’s victory, calling it a clear mandate. They argued that his opponent, Kamala Harris, ran a deeply flawed campaign that alienated key demographics.
“Her campaign was a disaster,” Luthmann said. “She lost significant support from Black and Hispanic voters, especially Black men, who historically vote Democrat.”
The co-hosts criticized media outlets like MSNBC, which praised Harris’s campaign as “flawlessly run.”
For Volpe, this kind of media bias distorts reality and misleads the public.
“They’re coping,” he said. “The media refuses to acknowledge Harris’s failures.”
Media Provocation Over Accuracy
Luthmann and Volpe then turned their attention to media personalities who prioritize provocation over accuracy.
“Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens are perfect examples,” said Volpe. “They know saying outrageous things drives engagement, regardless of the truth.”
They argued that this trend in media incentivizes sensationalism at the expense of facts. Volpe noted that this “engagement over accuracy” mentality has allowed Carlson to “interview a Hitler apologist and call him a respected historian.”
Luthmann defended Carlson and said there was merit to the points he was making, even if they were wrong.
Volpe added, “In today’s media, as long as you’re provocative, it doesn’t matter if you’re right.”
The co-hosts lamented the lack of investigative journalism covering family courts. Volpe asserted that without scrutiny, courts and lawyers like those at Beermann LLP operate unchecked.
“This isn’t journalism anymore,” Luthmann said. “It’s entertainment disguised as news, and it’s letting corruption flourish in the shadows.”
Takeaway
The Unknown Podcast’s most recent episode illustrates Volpe and Luthmann’s commitment to confronting what they perceives as a deeply corrupt system, from doxxing tactics to family court financial exploitation to ignored sexual abuse. With a no-nonsense approach, Volpe and Luthmann continue to shed light on issues that mainstream media often overlooks, insisting that “justice isn’t for sale.”
Luthmann Challenges Beermann LLP's John D'Arco: 'You Doxxed My Dad, Let’s Settle It Like Men'