United States of America v. Lucinda Jane Weist Manera, “Lucy Weist”

Los Angeles, California, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with helping her convicted fraudster boyfriend hide from federal law enforcement, hide out in Mexico, and then later flee to his native Germany to avoid incarceration and sentencing in his U.S. criminal case.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Lucinda Jane Weist Manera, 63, a.k.a. “Lucy Weist” assisted Bernhard Eugen Fritsch with the purpose of hindering and preventing Fritsch’s apprehension and punishment, including by lying to FBI special agents that she hadn’t spoken to Fritsch within a day of his scheduled June 2 hearing.

Manera also made at least 10 payments from June 2025 to September 2025 totaling approximately $7,475 to a third party, knowing that Fritsch was hiding out at that third party’s home. She also authorized a $534 charge to her bank account for Fritsch to stay at a hotel in Mexico.

In September 2025, she searched the internet on Fritsch’s behalf for information on how he could leave Mexico and travel to his native Germany. Germany generally prohibits the extradition of its citizens.

In October 2025, Fritsch was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in federal prison, fined $35,000, and ordered to pay $26,806,901 in restitution. In April 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Fritsch’s appeal due to his fugitive status, because a fugitive criminal defendant is generally not entitled to a decision on the merits of his claims. If Fritsch surrenders to authorities by August 21, 2026, he may move to reinstate the appeal.

The Defendant elected to plead guilty.