Thursday, March 7, 2019

Disbarred Poughkeepsie attorney Michael Varble faces 7 felony charges

Michael Varble(Photo: Courtesy photo/State police)
Michael R. Varble, a Poughkeepsie attorney who was recently disbarred, faces seven felony charges in relation to “stealing unearned retainer fees from clients,” according to Dutchess County District Attorney William V. Grady.

Varble was charged on Wednesday morning with four charges of third-degree grand larceny and three charges for fourth-degree grand larceny, Grady said in a statement.

Varble was arraigned on Wednesday. Bail was set at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond, which Varble posted, Grady said. Varble is scheduled to return to court March 20.

Varble was suspended as an attorney on July 9 amid accusations he failed to refund fees of clients who ceased their cases with his firm, totaling more than $32,000 according to court documents. He was disbarred in February after his resignation was granted by the state supreme court.

State police said an investigation began following a May 2017 complaint claiming Varble had accepted retainer fees and payments for legal services that had not been provided. The investigation revealed the lawyer, who lives in Kingston, had accepted payment "in excess of $28,000 from multiple victims" for services that were not provided, state police said.

Varble, who Grady said represented himself in court Wednesday, told the Journal "I have no comment" on the charges.

He was checked into Dutchess County Jail at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the jail, and released by around noon.

“Mr. Varble is charged in all of the felony complaints with stealing unearned retainer fees from clients,” Grady said. “A Dutchess County Grand Jury will ultimately determine what charges or additional charges should be preferred.”

Varble was suspended in July 2018 because he was found guilty of "professional misconduct immediately threatening the public interest" for failing to comply with demands from the Grievance Committee for the state's 9th Judicial District, according to court documents.

Varble submitted an application to resign as an attorney and counselor-at-law on Aug. 13 from the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. As part of Varble’s resignation application, he stated that he could not defend himself against the allegations, and admitted to failing to return fees to clients.

The Grievance Committee for the state's 9th Judicial District had received at least 18 complaints from former clients of Varble's law firm who claimed that neither he nor his associates responded to them. There were at least 11 of the cases in which Varble did not refund clients their retainer fees, even if the fee wasn't earned through representation.

The Grievance Committee recommended the approval of the resignation.

Per his resignation, Varble was ordered to no longer practice law, or give an opinion as to the law or its application. He was also ordered to provide proof of payment of these fees, should he decide to file any future reinstatement applications, according to court documents.

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1 comment:

  1. I wish they would disbar Attorney Edward Culbertson and his two daughters Attorney Kelly Culbertson and Attorney Catherine Ingrande for taking advantage of a sick and drunk Judge Friend the late Patrick Caddell. They used him to take advantage of his office and his docket to better themselves. They are corrupt! need to go In Pinellas county Florida!

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