Monday, December 3, 2012

Former Attorney Charged With Defrauding Late Client to Pay Bills

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies say Jussi Kivisto lost his privilege to practice law in 2008 after he misappropriated a client's cash. But they say that didn't stop him two years later, when he fabricated a document that allowed him to use $62,000 of a late client's money to pay his own bills.

Kivisto is now charged with fraud, according to a Sheriff's Office report.

For many years, Leo Jaakkola had been living at the Finnish American Rest Home in Lake Worth, far from his native Finland. In 2005, as he neared the end of his life, Jaakkola granted Kivisto, also of Finland, power of attorney.

But in 2007, it appeared Jaakkola changed his mind, because he then made a woman named Armi Kulmala the beneficiary of his estate. After Jaakkola died at age 96, Kulmala tried to get her money from the estate, but she instead met a roadblock.

Full Article and Source:
Boca Man Charged With Defrauding Late Client to Pay Bills

5 comments:

Thelma said...

Why was he still in control of funds after being disbarred?

Betty said...

I wondered the same thing, Thelma.

StandUp said...

Does anybody keep track of disbarred lawyers?

Sue said...

Come on let's stop with the blatant wimpy position, using the word: misappropriated.

Theft is theft is a criminal act how many lawyer types are slapped on their hands for misappropriated funds? A parade of how many that their friends know about.

Finally this thief was charged but look how long it takes - fool us once............

Mike said...

Who's the most dangerous, practing attorneys or disbarred attorneys?