The Honorable Richard D. Bennett, United States District Judge — Case 1:23-cr-00210-RDB, Document 30-16

Summary

Document 30-16 in Case 1:23-cr-00210-RDB, filed March 19, 2025: a letter dated Tuesday March 18th, 2025 to The Honorable Richard D. Bennett, with the subject David Epstein, Case No. RDB-23-210, signed by Michael Funk, MD. The writer says that the letter is on behalf of the writer's cousin, David Epstein, and states that the writer is a cardiologist practicing in Florida who has known Epstein the writer's entire life. The letter asks the judge to consider the positive aspects of Epstein's character and to consider showing leniency. It states a hope that responsibility can be fulfilled through counseling and community service instead of removal from family.

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Case 1:23-cr-00210-RDB Document 30-16 Filed 03/19/25 Page1of2

Tuesday March 18th, 2025

The Honorable Richard D. Bennett
United States District Judge

101 W. Lombard Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Re: David Epstein — Case No. RDB-23-210

Dear Judge Bennett,

| am writing this letter on behalf of my cousin, David Epstein. | am a cardiologist
practicing in Florida, but | was born in Maryland and lived near David until | was 10 years
old. | have known him my entire life, and | have always been very close to him. | was
shocked to learn of the accusations against him, as he is one of the most honest and
reliable individuals | have ever known.

| understand the gravity of the legal proceedings, and | fully respect the court’s duty to
ensure justice. However, based on my life experiences with David, | respectfully ask that
you consider the positive aspects of his character when making your decision. | believe
David is a person who can learn and grow from this experience, and with the right
support, will continue to contribute positively to our community. We all make mistakes
and learn from them, and | can only imagine how regretful and sorry David is for his
actions.

David is a devoted father and husband, and | have had the privilege of watching him grow
and evolve into a remarkable person. He takes pride in everything he does and is always
willing to help others. David has two young children at home, one who suffers from acute
liver failure from his DLD diagnosis, and his family deeply depends on his support and
care. | truly believe that he possesses qualities that demonstrate a strong sense of
responsibility and a genuine desire to be a positive member of society. | respectfully ask
that you consider showing leniency toward him, allowing him the chance to demonstrate
that he has learned from his mistakes, and to continue to provide care for his child who
needs him.
Case 1:23-cr-00210-RDB Document 30-16 Filed 03/19/25 Page 2 of 2

While | recognize that his actions certainly require responsibility, | hope that this can be
fulfilled in a way that allows for self-improvement—such as through counseling and
community service—instead of being removed from his family. While David has a loving
and supportive family, they all reside in Florida, so they are unable to support him
beyond a phone call. David still has so much potential to accomplish positive things in
his life, it would be such a loss for him to be away from his family, especially when he
can use his strengths to better himself and contribute to those around him.

Thank you for considering my letter in your judgment. | sincerely hope that David is given
the chance to prove his commitment to making amends, learning from his actions, and
continuing to be the person | have known him to be throughout his life.

Sincerely,

Michael Funk, MD


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