Miles Away. Worlds Apart : Empowering Lessons Gleaned from Experiences of a Whistleblower

Alan Sakowitz, a whistleblower of a Madoff-like Ponzi scheme masterminded by Scott Rothstein, fraudster extraordinaire, tells the story of his decision to turn in Rothstein regardless of the possible dangerous ramifications of such a decision. The saga of Rothstein's rise and fall which included a Warren Yacht, two Bugattis, Governor Crist, the former Versace mansion, The Eagles, and even the murder of a law partner, is the stuff that Hollywood movies are made from.

Instead of the mere accounting of such a scandal, Sakowitz uses the Rothstein scheme as a cautionary tale in stark contrast to the stories of humble, ethical individuals living within Sakowitz's neighborhood in North Miami Beach, Florida. Sakowitz's neighbors are people who have spent their lives trying to assist others, not line their pockets, and through these stories Sakowitz creates a sharp dichotomy between the greed, of a Rothstein and its mainstream culture of consumption and the charity, kindness and selflessness of a principle-oriented community. Indeed, Sakowitz speaks to the symptoms of a culture that could create a Scott Rothstein, and, though acknowledging that the easy way out is not simple to dismiss, offers remedies to the growing ills of our entitlement society. The answer, Sakowitz says, lies in thinking first of others, and how one's actions should benefit the lives of friends, not one's short-term gratifications.

Alan Sakowitz is an attorney with an LLM. in Federal Taxation. As president of Pointe Development Company, a real estate development company located in Bay Harbor
Islands, Florida, he combines his real estate background and legal training. His company
is a recognized leader in joint venturing, and is always open to considering worthwhile projects anywhere in the country from brokers, banks, developers, and principals. Sakowitz has taught courses in law and lectured on a variety of topics, and he is a seasoned negotiator and business consultant.



Sakowitz, a life-long resident of Miami-Dade County, lives with his wife Leah and their
five children in the North Miami Beach area, the neighborhood proudly featured in
Miles Away...Worlds Apart.