Friday, December 24, 2010

FL: Atty Pleads Guilty to Fraud

Joseph Sindaco, 63, a Fort Lauderdale lawyer, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud involving the theft of clients' funds from his trust account, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sindaco, who practiced law from 2006 through December 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, handled real estate closings for clients, mortgage lenders and estate transactions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said he took $2.4 million of clients' funds. As part of the plea agreement, Sindaco agreed to repay the money to the clients. Sindaco was permanently disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court on April 29.

Source:
Lauderdale Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Fraud

2 comments:

Holly said...

So happy that the US Attorney's Office was willing to prosecute this thief in Florida but, WHY did he turn a deaf ear to my pleas??

My mother, Rita Denmark had mild dementia, she is/was a life long Pennsylvania resident and domiciliary!

To avoid a scheduled guardianship hearing in McKean County PA my sister took mother on vacation to Florida. I immediately called the Florida Elder Abuse Hotline # explaining what happened and was told that a complete investigation would be done. I had no reason to believe that they would lie but, apparently they do!!

A court appointed Professional Guardian, Jetta Getty of Port Orange Florida was appointed to sort this out, alleging that she would get mother home in a few months. Getty then put my sister on an airplane and sent her home because of course Getty knew they were both Pennsylvania domicilians.

Now three yrs. later, mother is still being held in Florida against her will as a prisoner.

Attorney's have exploited her for about $150,000.00 fighting to keep her in Florida, the facility where Getty keeps her wards/prisoners, has been paid a couple hundred thousand dollars and Getty's friends and family have also been paid 10's of 1,000's from this Pennsylvania estate! The list of mother's wasted & stolen assets goes on and on and on by Jetta Getty!!!

Getty requested my mother be prescribed medication under false pretenses, then allowed my mother to be administered unapproved, very dangerous anti-psychotic drugs. In fact this drug Zyprexa, has a Black Box Warning which states that it is not to be used with the Elderly with Dementia or Alzheimers. It causes mental decline and may cause sudden death. It can increase the death rate by 50%!!!

I fear for my mother's life and have personally contacted the Governor's Office in Florida, the Attorney General's office numerous times. I have called and forwarded documentation to the Dept. of Elder Affairs in Florida exposing the blant theft and lies by Ms. Getty. There is documentation of this same theft right in the Volusia county court records but they still refuse to investigate allowing Getty to get away with kidnapping a Pennsylvania woman. Getty is slowly murdering my mother. WHY you ask... The money being exploited from this PA estate and then spent in the State of Florida is the ONLY possible explanation that I can think of.

I truely am glad that the US Attorney prosecuted this lawyer but, I just don't understand how in good conscience the Florida Government could not help the elderly that fall prey in their state.

My advise is... whatever you do, DO NOT let your loved one's go near the State of Florida, you may never see them again!!

Mother asked me to promise her Jetta Getty would not do this to anyone else so until she is stopped I will NEVER be silent and that is a promise!

Feel free to contact me if you have an opinion, advice or questions on this matter at hlpeffer@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Good to know there is some justice in the world.