A Louisville personal injury attorney
accused in multiple lawsuits of stealing money from Hispanic clients has
been has been indicted on theft and forgery charges.
The
Jefferson County grand jury Thursday accused Andrew Clooney, 51, of
settling clients' lawsuits without their consent and
pocketing settlement money.
"It is a great
development for our clients," said attorney Alex White, who filed suits
alleging that Clooney stole more than $160,000 from clients. "We have
been screaming to the authorities and the bar and we really needed for
the criminal justice wheels to start turning so we can get justice."
The
grand jury indicted Clooney on Thursday on seven counts of theft by
failure to make required disposition of property over $10,000.
He also faces nine counts of theft by failure to make
required disposition of property over $500 but less than $10,000 and 19
counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
Clooney's wife, 46-year-old Christel Clooney, and employee Marlene Estrada, 57, were also indicted on the charges Thursday.
Twenty different victims are named in the indictment.
Prosecutors
say the defendants, between July 2015 and August 2018, would forge
clients' signatures on settlement agreements and Estrada would notarize
them.
White said last year that Andrew Clooney
targeted those with poor English skills so their complaints wouldn’t be
believed or would be chalked up to a misunderstanding.
The defendants, who face a maximum of 20 years in
prison if they are convicted, are set to appear June 3 in Jefferson
Circuit Court for arraignment.
Clooney was
suspended from practice on April 19 for failing to respond to a charge.
The Kentucky Bar Association lists him as a former member.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Doug Meisel is prosecuting the case.
Full Article & Source:
Louisville attorney accused of defrauding clients indicted on theft, forgery charges
Investigation needs to be opened on Judge Tom Rickhoff, Judge Kelly Cross, and Judge Oscar Kazen in Bexar County but mainly on the attorneys: William Leighner, Karen Andersen, Les Katona, Thomas Bassler, Mark Stanton Smith to name a few and the court investigator(s) and staff attorney. The Guardianship Probate Proceedings are kangaroo court hearings and cohorts refuse to play fair and are forcing settlements and billing the elderly.
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