Investigators and Media Team - James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis PA

Our Investigators and Media Team

Every fraud is a story. Uncovering more than just the facts, our Investigative Media Team gets to the bottom of each case in ways that are unprecedented in the legal industry. Part of the challenge for an investigative law firm is finding innovative and creative ways to be the voice of victims and expose fraud . James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis, P.A. has a unique team of former FBI agents, investigative journalists and communication veterans working full time to deliver these messages using 21st century technology.

Our media team includes a half dozen television journalists and production specialists with decades of experience in TV news and production. Our team creates high quality productions for use by our attorneys in court, during settlement discussions and for communication with news media and political leaders. We also produce high quality TV advertising designed to help the investigative staff gather essential information for our cases.

Al Scudieri

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Chief Investigator

Al Scudieri joined James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis as Chief Investigator in 1995, after spending 25 years as a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Throughout his bureau career, Al traveled extensively in the United States and Europe and was instrumental in convicting corporate executives, politicians and organized crime figures. A number of his successful cases were featured in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Money and on national television programs, including ABC's "World News Tonight" and CBS's "60 Minutes."

Al's career at the FBI began when he took a job as a clerk in the Bureau's cryptology department. That job offered him the chance to become an agent, and at 22, he completed training at the FBI's Quantico, Viginia academy. He then served at posts in New York City; Birmingham, Ala.; Washington, D.C. and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Al's last assignment with the FBI was in Tampa, Fla., where he served as the Supervisor of White Collar Crimes/Fraud Unit specializing in bank fraud, securities fraud, governmental fraud, civil rights and political corruption investigations. In 1992, he was recognized as the Federal Law Enforcement Officer of the Year after successfully supervising a major terrorism investigation.

Following his retirement from the FBI in 1995, Al joined the investigative law firm of James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis with his friends and former federal prosecutors, Chris and Judy Hoyer where he serves as Lead Investigator. Al has also worked with the ABC-TV World News Tonight investigative unit, which directly reported to former news anchor, Peter Jennings.

Al received his degree from the City University of New York (B.A., 1968). He also graduated from the U.S. Army Defense Language Institute with a proficiency in Spanish.

Angie Moreschi

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Investigative Producer/Communications Director

Angie Moreschi is a national award-winning producer, reporter and anchor. She joined James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis after working as an investigative journalist at TV stations around the country for 20 years.

At James Hoyer, Angie uses the unique combination of her investigative and media skills to uncover important consumer information in firm cases, and then helps to educate the public and lawmakers on these issues. Angie produced investigative videos on the firm's class action cases against sub-prime lenders Ameriquest and Countrywide, which were sent to key members of Congress. Her efforts have led to stories on our cases with local and national media outlets, including ABC News, CNN, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Forbes and USA Today.

Angie's work in television has been recognized with four national awards, eight Emmy Awards and dozens of regional and local awards for excellence in journalism. Her stories have changed laws, led to criminal charges and convictions, closed bad businesses and helped lead to the restructuring of an entire government agency.

In some of her most prominent investigations, Angie exposed the cover-up of child deaths in Indiana's foster care system, a priest's sexual abuse on children in two Wisconsin communities over a 20-year span, an al-Qaida link to a Bloomington, Indiana Mosque, an HMO's unjustified denial of services which led to the death of at least two patients, the gross mishandling of bodies and ashes at a Florida crematory, the dangerous distribution of a powerful narcotic at a Southern Indiana Methadone clinic and a pit-bull fighting ring in Syracuse, New York.

She is also experienced in covering high profile court cases. She was the lead reporter for WISN-TV in Milwaukee, during serial killer Jeffery Dahmer's trial, in 1992.

In addition to her work at James Hoyer, Angie is also the editor for the non-profit consumer website www.consumerwarningnetwork.com and is the host of "Smart Health," a magazine-style program on health issues at WEDU-TV in Tampa. Angie received her Bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University. She lives in Tampa with her husband and two daughters.

Jim Leusner

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Investigator

After a lengthy career as an investigative reporter, Jim Leusner joined the James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis Orlando office in 2009. He has been a State of Florida Licensed Private Investigator since 1996.

Jim spent nearly 30 years at the Orlando Sentinel as a legal affairs/investigative reporter, where he specialized in federal and state courts, law enforcement agencies and a wide range of special assignments. His award-winning investigations included probing two space shuttle disasters, the defense industry, government corruption, homeland security, sports scandals, land development, business, motorcycle gangs and serial killers. Prior to that, he was a criminal justice reporter for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville.

He is an instructor and authority on investigative techniques, the federal Freedom of Information Act, Florida's Public Records laws and contributor to several journalism text books and network television documentaries. Jim is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, the National Military Intelligence Association, Naval Intelligence Professionals, the National Press Club, Investigative Reporters & Editors Inc., and the Multi-Media Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

Jim received his undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Florida (B.S., 1977) and also attended Rutgers University. In his leisure time, Jim enjoys sports, biking, computers and electronics. He lives in Orlando.

Jim Ross

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Investigator After spending 25 years investigating fraud, corruption and wrong-doing, Jim Ross joined the Tallahassee office of James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis in 2001. His investigative work includes integrating computer data bases and other technological tools into cutting-edge investigations that yield the best possible results for individual clients.

Prior to James Hoyer, Jim worked for the Economic Crimes Unit of Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth, where he successfully conducted legal investigations involving tens of millions of dollars in cases against banks, insurance companies, publishing companies and funeral homes.

Jim spent a 20 years working in the investigative reporting field, most recently with the Tampa Tribune's Capitol News Bureau in Tallahassee, investigating government, politics and organized crime, exposing corruption and fraud. Several times, these investigations led to acknowledgement of wrong-doing, program changes, new laws and action against officials, including suspensions and resignations.

He also worked as an enterprise reporter and business news editor in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, for large and small newspapers and for a family-owned statewide business magazine.

Jim earned his Bachelor's degree from Northeastern University (B.A., 1976) and the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential in 1999. He lives with his wife and two children in Tallahassee.

Chad Soriano

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Investigative Photographer

Chad Soriano joined James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis in 2006 as an investigative photographer. With more than 15 years of experience in television news and still camera photography, Chad works with the James Hoyer investigative media team to bring the firm's cases to life on the screen. Chad's skills in news gathering and camera-work combine to create a strong tool in developing and promoting the cases.

Prior to joining James Hoyer, Chad worked at the Tampa, Fla., FOX affiliate, WTVT-TV, where his primary focus was special projects and consumer investigations. His assignments ranged from general news to consumer fraud. Chad's passion for creating memorable pictures began in elementary school when he was given a Kodak Disc 4000 camera and he started shooting everything he could see through his lens. Later in sixth grade, he upgraded his camera, and as they say, the rest is history. Whether it is a video or still camera, Chad pursues perfection in every image he captures with his highly-trained eyes.

Chad graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor's degree in Cinematography. In his leisure time, Chad enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. He lives in Tampa with his wife and children

Larry Wiezycki

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Creative Director

Larry Wiezycki joined James, Hoyer, Newcomer, Smiljanich & Yanchunis as Creative Director in 2006. Using his unique brand of television post production, shooting, editing and social media, Larry works with the James Hoyer investigative media team to bring important aspects of the firm's cases to video.

With more than 10 years of television experience, his work has been broadcast all over the country in both national and local programming for clients like The History Channel, ESPN, FOX and "America's Most Wanted." Prior to joining James Hoyer, Larry worked at the Tampa, Fla., PBS affiliate, WEDU-TV, as a producer of documentaries, station branding and image spots. He has received four Emmy Awards and was the production designer for WEDU's local magazine program "A Gulf Coast Journal with Jack Perkins" which garnered six Emmy Awards during Larry's tenure.

He originally began his career as a music producer providing original soundtrack scoring for local, independent and network programs. In 1996, Larry expanded into non-linear video editing and post production.

Larry studied Information Technology and Computer Science at the University of South Florida, was Discreet Edit certified by Media Entertainment and assisted the University of Florida in building a state of the art editing lab for their College of Journalism and Communications.

In his leisure time, Larry enjoys music, photography and cycling. He lives in Tampa with his wife and two sons.

Emeritus Investigators

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