A Florida attorney with a private practice was jailed for accusations of pilfering more than $840,000 from his clients.
Approximately 7 years ago, a 44-year-old personal injury lawyer opened a private practice in Seminole to work with clients who had been injured in automobile accidents.
Last October, a woman who retained the attorney to represent her said her insurance company informed her that the case against her had been settled for $100,000 several months prior. The woman reportedly never received a notification about the status of her case, and she was allegedly not given any of the money from the settlement.
The woman reported the situation to the authorities, and an investigation was opened.
According to the sheriff’s office, approximately 16 of the man’s former clients had similar complaints. They each reported that they called their insurance companies because of bills they could not afford, and they learned the cases had already been. The money from the settlements was allegedly never received by the clients.
The clients also reported that the attorney stopped communicating with them, so they had a tough time contacting him for updates.
It is believed that the man was able to take almost $150,000 from a client in 2019, and $100,000 each from several others. The authorities traced the first alleged theft back to 2018.
On February 27, the man was taken into custody and booked into the Pinellas County Jail. He is currently expected to face charges for 12 felony counts of grand theft, one felony count of grand theft from a person 65 years of age or older, and two felony counts of money laundering. He was jailed in lieu of $395,000 bail. According to reports, the suspect immediately retained an attorney.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.