Posted on 04/15/2015 12:56:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Todd Macaluso, who helped represent Casey Anthony, faces 20 years in prison
A prominent San Diego personal injury attorney pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding clients, forging their signatures to gain millions of dollars from investors, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Todd Macaluso, 52 -- a lead player in personal injury, plaintiff’s and aviation law -- once helped represent high-profile defendant Casey Anthony, a Florida mother acquitted in her 2-year-old daughter’s death.
Now, he has admitted in his plea deal to bankrolling his law practice through “funding agreements” with investors.
Under the plan, Macaluso would offer them the right to collect part of his clients’ future recoveries if they advanced him money.
However, his clients did not know about these deals. The U.S. attorney’s office says Macaluso forged their signatures on financing documents instead of telling them about the agreements.
To make it seem legitimate, the defendant then forged stamps and signatures from notary publics who should have witnessed the documents’ signings, according to prosecutors.
“Individuals who have suffered a personal injury should not have to worry about being victimized by their own advocate,” said U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy in a statement. “The defendant’s conviction should be a stark reminder that attorneys and other fiduciaries will be prosecuted if they fraudulently misuse the privileges society has given them.”
Macaluso is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13. He faces 20 years in prison and will be ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
How very Clintonian of him.
“He faces 20 years in prison and will be ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
And should serve every minute of that.
DIVINE justice is certain, even on the earth.
Maybe someone will tape him up and throw in a swamp.
He should have told them he was a Banker, not only would he not be prosecuted, but the Taxpayers would have bailed him out!!
See Mortgage Fraud
how in the world did he ever expect to get away with that even once.
Bwahahahaha.
” A prominent San Diego personal injury”
He ain’t prominent no mo, just notorious : )
Not an isolated case to be sure but the biggest I’ve heard.
I remember, back in the day, a local attorney was caught forging Judges signatures on final Divorce Decrees. Talk about a poop storm. Aside from the forgery issue (big as that is/was), many people got remarried and were not divorced as they thought.
Like I said ... a poop storm.
A while back I started praying that corrupt people who had power and authority would be removed from positions of power and authority.
One down, countless more to go.
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