New York Paralegal Blog

  Many remember the powerful story of Erin Brockovich, the tenacious single mother who took on a corporate giant and won. A key figure behind that landmark case was her lawyer, Thomas Girardi. Once celebrated as a champion for the underdog, the 86-year-old disbarred attorney is now facing 87 months in federal prison. Girardi was sentenced for a shocking crime: stealing tens of millions of dollars from the very clients he was supposed to be helping. These weren't just any clients; many were victims of severe accidents, trusting Girardi to fight for them and secure their futures. Instead of delivering their hard-won settlement money, he used it to fund a lavish lifestyle. For over a decade, Girardi ran his prestigious Los Angeles law firm, Girardi Keese, like a personal piggy bank. The court found he operated a Ponzi-like scheme, using new client settlements to partially pay off the clients he had previously stolen from. When clients asked where their money was, Girardi and his team...

TRENTON—A former research chemist with global pharmaceutical company sanofi-aventis (sanofi) was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for stealing sanofi’s trade secrets and making them available for sale through Abby Pharmatech Inc. (Abby), the U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese chemicals company, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of PHILIP LEOPOLD, 76, for stealing more than $1.6 million from an 85-year old woman by withdrawing money from her bank and trust accounts without her authorization. LEOPOLD is charged with Grand Larceny in the First Degree, Forgery in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Attempted Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree.

Kevin Clor Accused of Submitting 150 Bogus Receipts for CLE Classes, Legal Reference Materials Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of KEVIN CLOR, 40, for stealing more than $211,000 from the New York State Thruway Employees Local 72 (the “Union”) and for submitting forged receipts for reimbursement. CLOR was indicted on two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, 16 counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, and 16 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of YAASMIN HOOEY, 35, for stealing $311,586 from the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, Inc. (“GSCGNY”). The defendant was charged with of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Forgery in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, and Criminal Tax Fraud in the Third and Fifth Degrees.1

SYRACUSE - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the sentencing of Onondaga County resident James T. Pickard for stealing over $541,000 from the Medicaid system. Pickard was sentenced in Onondaga County Supreme Court before Judge Joseph E. Fahey to five years probation and 250 hours of community service.

LOS ANGELES—Ezri Namvar, a prominent Los Angeles businessman and real estate developer, was found guilty today of four wire fraud charges for stealing approximately $21 million from four clients who allowed his "qualified intermediary" company to hold their money in safekeeping before it was reinvested in real estate. Namvar, 59, of Brentwood, was convicted of the felony counts by a federal jury that deliberated for about three hours after hearing eight days of testimony. The jury convicted a second defendant on the four wire fraud charges. Hamid Tabatabai, 63 of Agoura Hills, was Namvar's right-hand man at the qualified intermediary company. As a result of today's convictions, Namvar and Tabatabai face statutory maximum sentences of 80 years in federal prison. Following today's verdicts, United States District Judge Percy Anderson ordered that Namvar, who is free on bond, be subject to home incarceration with electronic monitoring. Judge Anderson has sche...

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of STEVEN BINGAMAN, 54, and his corporate entities he controlled for stealing approximately $1.2 million from at least nine victims in a securities fraud and Ponzi scheme. BINGAMAN and his entities were previously indicted in January 2011 for stealing money from two victims for similar criminal conduct. The indictments charge BINGAMAN and his corporate entities with Grand Larceny, Money Laundering, Forgery in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Falsifying Business Records, Scheme to Defraud, and Securities Fraud.[1] “The defendant’s victims relied on him to conduct his business affairs with honesty and integrity, but he instead squandered their money to pay for his multiple homes, a Las Vegas bookie, and other personal expenses,” District Attorney Vance said. “This office will continue to root out and prosecute self-serving swindlers who steal from investors and create mistrust ...

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SERGEY ALEYNIKOV, a former computer programmer at Goldman Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”) was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 97 months in prison for stealing valuable, proprietary computer code of Goldman Sachs. A jury in Manhattan federal court previously found ALEYNIKOV guilty on December 10, 2010, of theft of trade secrets and interstate transportation of stolen property charges. U.S. District Judge DENISE L. COTE imposed the sentence on ALEYNIKOV. Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “Protecting the proprietary information of America’s companies is critically important. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that professionals like Sergey Aleynikov who abuse their positions of trust to steal confidential business information from their employers will be prosecuted and punished.”

WASHINGTON – Two former managers of the Bank of China and their wives were convicted on Aug. 29, 2008, by a federal jury in Las Vegas on charges of racketeering, money laundering, international transportation of stolen property as well as passport and visa fraud, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory A. Brower of the District of Nevada announced today. Xu Chaofan (a/k/a Hui Yat Fai), Xu Guojun (a/k/a Hui Kit Shun), Kuang Wan Fang (a/k/a Wendy Kuang) and Yu Ying Yi were convicted after being charged in the 15-count superseding indictment on Jan. 31, 2006. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 24, 2008. Evidence presented during the trial established the elaborate scheme to defraud the Bank of China of at least $485 million, orchestrated by former managers Xu Chaofan, Xu Guojun and a third former bank manager, Yu Zhendong (a/k/a Yu Wing Chung) who pleaded guilty in connection with this investigation and cooperated with the Uni...