Richard N. LaRocca, D.P.S.
Richard N. LaRocca, D.P.S.
Dr. Richard LaRocca is a finance and economics expert with extensive academic, research, and professional experience spanning financial analysis, real estate, international finance and economics, cryptocurrency, and data analytics. He provides attorneys and law firms with sophisticated financial and economic analysis, litigation support, and expert testimony in matters involving complex financial issues and economic damages.
Dr. LaRocca brings a distinctive combination of academic scholarship and decades of practical business and financial experience to his work. His expertise includes financial and economic analysis, real estate finance and investment, international markets, cryptocurrency and financial technology, business valuation issues, and quantitative data analysis. He applies this multidisciplinary experience to examine complex financial records and economic questions and develops clear, evidence-based conclusions for use in litigation.
Dr. LaRocca has testified in litigation involving financial damages, cryptocurrency, and a federal wire fraud case before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. His work helps attorneys understand and present complicated financial and economic evidence in a clear, supportable manner.
For more than two decades, Dr. LaRocca has taught finance, economics, and analytics at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He serves as a Professor of Finance at Wagner College’s Nicolais School of Business and holds adjunct appointments in finance at Millsaps University Graduate School of Business and Touro University Graduate School of Business.
In addition to his academic career, Dr. LaRocca has substantial private-sector experience in finance, consulting, real estate development, and business management.
Practice Areas
- Finance
- Real Estate
- Economics
- International Finance and Business
- Cryptocurrency
- Data Analysis
EDUCATION
- Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Graduate Certificate, Financial Technology, 2026
- Cornell University, Graduate Certificate, Real Estate Investing and Finance, 2024
- Pace University, D.P.S., Finance and International Economics, 2012
- St. John’s University, MBA, Finance & Economics, 1992
- Boston College, B.S. Finance and Economics, 1989
FELLOWSHIPS
- Robinson Fellow, Wagner College, Research Fellowship, 2014-2015
- Port Richmond Partnership Fellow, Wagner College, Economic Community Development Fellowship, 2015-2017
- Mandela Washington Fellowship Professor for the Young African Leader Initiative, U.S. Department of State and Wagner College, 2015-2018
Expert Testimony
- Expert witness, wire fraud: United States of America v. Diallo, U. S. District Court, Central District of California, Benjamin Lechman, Esq., Los Angeles, CA, 2026
- Deposition testimony, financial damages and cryptocurrency: Rossi v. Ackridge, Mikaela Meyer, Esq. of Nagy Wolfe Appleton P.C., San Francisco, CA, 2026
UNIVERSITY APPOINTMENTS
- Adjunct Professor of Finance & Analytics, Millsaps University Graduate School of Business, 2025-present.
- Adjunct Professor of Finance, Touro University Graduate School of Business, 2024-present.
- Professor of Finance, Wagner College Nicolais School of Business, 2023 – present; Associate Professor of Finance, 2017-2023; and Assistant Professor of Finance, 2012-2017.
- Adjunct Associate Professor of Economics and Finance, Stevens Institute of Technology Howe School of Management, 2010-2012.
- Adjunct Associate Professor, Pace University Lubin School of Business, 2008-2011.
- Adjunct Instructor, St. John’s University, Tobin College of Business Department of Economics and Finance, 1998-2008.
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
- CEO & Managing Member, Cornerstone Consulting and Finance LLC, NJ
- CEO, Cornerstone Real Estate Development and Management, NJ, 1989-2020
- CEO & Managing Member, Patriot Self Storage, NY, 2001-2006
- Vice President and Board of Directors Member, Building Industry Association of New York City, 1989-2008; Co-Chair, New York City Department of Buildings Committee; Co-Chair, New York City Department of City Planning Committee
Professional service
- Guest Commentator, Economic Consequences of a Prospective U.K. Exit from the European Union [Radio series episode]. In Noriega, R. (Producer), Up All Night, Manchester BBC, 2016.
- Contributing Consultant with Stephen Greenwald, Report to the Government of Ethiopia, Government Intervention in Support of the Film and Television Sector, 2014.
- Contributing Advisor, Effects on the Iranian Embargo [Radio series episode]. In Noriega, R. (Producer), Up All Night, Manchester BBC, 2012.
- Research Consultant and Presenter with Dr. Mohammad Ali Hussain, Political and Socio-Economic Factors Surrounding Corruption in Developing Nations, The Tehreek-e-Insaf Political Party of Pakistan Annual Meeting, 2012.
- Session Chair & Academic Support Staff, Academy of Business Research Conference, New Orleans, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
- Session Chair, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021.
current research
- Real Estate Conversion Effects: Can conversions mitigate REIT risk? Data collection in process.
- “COVID and Corruption: An Economic Link?” National Association of Business, Economics and Technology, under review.
- “Examining COVID-19 Infection Rates Using Data Analytics: The Case of Lifting Mask Mandates,” Journal of Data Analytics, Forthcoming (R. Valentine).
- Manipulation of Currencies with respect to the European Union, in writing process.
- External Factors Affecting Country-Specific Market Returns in a Global Environment, in writing process.
- Financial Markets and the Euro – Which Relationship Exists? Data collection in process.
professional associations
- Guest Editor, Academy of Business Journal, COVID-19 Special Edition 2020
- Member of the Northeast Business and Economics Association European Union Research Group
- Member of The Academy of Business Research
- Member of The Business and Applied Sciences Academy of North America
- Assistant Editor, The American Economist, January 2009 to December 2010
award grants
- Wagner College Faculty Service Award, 2023.
- “COVID-19 and the Impact it had on Business Bankruptcies in the United States,” (P. Cleo Burton), Mollica Family Fund Research Award, 2022.
- “Work, What is it Good For?” (Aaron Leighton), Mollica Family Fund Research Award, 2022.
- Nicolais School of Business Experiential Learning Grant, Spring 2022.
- Wagner College Excellence in Teaching Award, 2021.
- “Corporate Political Action Committees and Congressional Legislation: A High-Speed Toll Road.” Best Paper Award, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2018.
- “Currency Manipulations and Cultural Dimensions: A Perspective on the Valuation of the Euro,” Frank DeSimone and Ian Wise), Best Paper Award, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2017.
- “External Factors Affecting Country-Specific Market Returns in a Global Environment,” (Anthony DeCicco), Best Paper Award, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2016.
- “Examining Corruption Perceptions Among EMU and EU Member States,” Best Paper Award, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2015.
- “Management of Conflict in Family Businesses During Crises and Change: A Strategic Alliance Perspective,” (George DeFeis), Best Paper Award, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2014.
- “Economic and Socio-Political Factors Affecting Political Stability,” (Tamer Mahmoud), Best Paper Award, Academy of Business Research Conference, 2014.
publications & presentations
- “Do World Bank Governance Factors Impact COVID-19 Infection Rates Among Nations?” Journal of Management Policy and Practice, (Randall Valentine), 2026.
- “AI, Taxes, and the Super Bowl: Examining the Economic Impact of Playing in California,” Academy of Business Research Conference, (Randall Valentine), 2026.
- “The Aftermath of Corruption: Did COVID Change the Game?”, Academy of Business Research Conference, (Mary LoRe), 2025.
- “COVID and Corruption: An Economic Link?” National Association of Business, Economics and Technology Conference, (Mary LoRe), 2024.
- “Irrational Exuberance or the Money-Trust Power Grab: Was the Panic of 1907 Truly a Speculative Bubble or a Financial Coup D'état?” Journal of Behavioral Finance (Randall Valentine and Thomas Cunningham), 2023.
- “The Use of Governmental and Economic Stability Indicators in Forecasting COVID-19 Infection Rates,” The Behavioral Finance Working Group Conference (Randall Valentine), 2023.
- “The Examination of Governmental Regulation Factors on Health Care Stock Returns,” Academy of Business Research Conference (Randall Valentine), 2023.
- “COVID-19 and the Impact it had on Business Bankruptcies in the United States,” Business & Applied Sciences Academy of North America Conference (P. Cleo Burton), 2022.
- “Work, What is it Good For?” Business & Applied Sciences Academy of North America Conference (Aaron Leighton), 2022.
- “Do World Bank Governance Factors Impact COVID-19 Infection Rates Among Nations?” Academy of Business Research Conference, (Randall Valentine), 2022.
- “Connecting COVID and Corruption: A Cross-Sectional Country Comparison,” International Atlantic Economic Society Conference, (Mary LoRe), 2021.
- “Irrational Exuberance or the Money-Trust Power Grab: Was the Panic of 1907 Truly a Speculative Bubble or a Financial Coup D'état?” Academy of Business Research Conference, (Randall Valentine and Thomas Cunningham), 2021.
- “Corporate Political Action Committees and Congress: How Your ‘Washingtons’ Can ‘PAC’ in the Benefits,” Journal of Applied Financial Research, 2020.
- “The Susceptibility of Country-Specific European Stock Market Returns to European Central Bank Interest Rate Changes,” Academy of Business Research Conference (Mary LoRe), 2019.
- “Financial Market & the Euro—Which Relationship Exists?” Eastern Economic Association, 2019.
- “Corporate Political Action Committees and Congressional Legislation: A High-Speed Toll Road,” Academy of Business Research Conference, 2018.
- “Currency Manipulations and Cultural Dimensions: A Perspective on the Valuation of the Euro,” Academy of Business Research Conference (Mary LoRe, Frank DeSimone and Ian Wise), 2017.
- “Exchange Rates: Inside & Outside the Euro,” American Academic Research Conference on Global Business, Economics, Finance and Social Science (Frank DeSimone and Ian Wise), 2017.
- “Country-Specific Currency Valuation Modeling: An Examination within the European Union,” Eastern Economic Association, 2017.
- “External Factors Affecting Country-Specific Market Returns in a Global Environment,” Academy of Business Research Conference (Anthony DeCicco), 2016.
- “Comparative Corruption Perception Index Analyses among EMU, EU and Potential/Candidate EU-Member States,” Academy of Business Journal (Mary LoRe), 2015.
- “Assessing the Political and Socio-Economic Impact of Corruption Among Nations,” Business Law and Ethics: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications, 2015.
- “Management of Conflict in Family Businesses During Crises and Change: A Strategic Alliance Perspective,” Academy of Business Research Journal (George DeFeis), 2015.
- “Assessing the Political and Socio-Economic Impact of Corruption Among Nations,” International Journal of Information Systems and Social Change, 2014.
- “Comparative Corruption Perception Index Analyses among EMU and EU Member States,” Northeast Business and Economic Association Conference, (Mary LoRe), 2014.
- “Economic and Socio-Political Factors Affecting Political Stability,” Academy of Business Research Conference, (Tamer Mahmoud), 2014.
- “Comparative Corruption Factors Influencing EU Members Since Inception,” Institute of Strategic and International Studies, 2014.
- “The Corruption Factor: How Public Sector Employees Influence the Tide,” International Journal of Society Systems Science, 2012.
- “The Causes and Consequences of Political and Socio-Economic Determinants of Corruption around the World,” Academy of International Business Conference, 2012.
- “Corruption, Income Disparity, and the Burden of Personal Taxation on Nations’ Public Sector Employees,” Northeast Business and Economics Association Conference, 2010.
- “Consequences of Family Relationship: The Management of Conflict within Family Businesses during Moments of Crises and Change,” Eastern Academy of Management Conference, 2009.
- “An Examination of the Presence of Speculative Bubbles in the U.S. Equity Markets Before, During and After the Panic of 1907,” Eastern Economics Association Conference (Thomas Cunningham), 2009.