Former Attorney Avoids Prison in Larceny Case Involving Disabled Client

John Fritz told a judge recently that his former attorney's theft of his money left him severely depressed, nervous, angry and distrustful of lawyers, the courts and people in general.

Fritz, a disabled Wethersfield resident, had a chance to address Judge Joan K. Alexander before she sentenced his long-time former attorney and conservator, Michael Schless, at Superior Court in New Britain on March 18.

Newington police last year charged Schless with stealing about $48,000 from Fritz. Schless, 78, entered a no contest plea to first-degree larceny in February.

"Michael Schless stabbed me in the back and he only looked out for himself," Fritz said.

Fritz told the judge he has had cerebral palsy his entire life, and he had received $120,000 from his late mother, money which Schless was supposed to help him manage.

"I think he was stealing money for a long time," Fritz said. "In the past I trusted people, and trusted lawyers and the courts. Now, I don't trust people anymore. I told the probate court something was wrong and the court ignored me."

According to Fritz, what happened made him severely depressed. He stopped eating properly and lost over 80 pounds. For years, he had a home health aide to help him brush his teeth, but Schless claimed he couldn't afford an aide and cancelled that service, Fritz said. He told the judge his lower teeth rotted and had to be pulled out. "It was awful for me," Fritz said.

Fritz said Schless wasn't paying his bills or rent properly, subjecting him to fines and penalties. When he complained, he said probate court officials didn't do anything about it........

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Former Attorney Avoids Prison in Larceny Case Involving Disabled Client

Attorney, caregiver convicted of stealing $900K from estate of Orchard Park siblings

A former estate planning attorney and a local caregiver has been convicted of stealing more than $900,000 from the estates of siblings from Orchard Park.

Stephen Newman, 71, a former Nixon Peabody attorney, pleaded guilty Thursday to second degree grand larceny in New York County Supreme Court and self-described geriatric companion Joan Morgante, 76, of Cheektowaga, pleaded guilty to second degree attempted grand larceny in Erie County Supreme Court.

They’re accused of stealing from the estates of wealthy brother and sister June and Worth Farrington, who lived their entire lives in Orchard Park.

According to the complaint, between 2007-09, Newman, the estate attorney of the Farringtons, made a series of restatements to their living trusts, which changed the outright gifts, originally set to go to charities, into annuities and he made himself the sole trustee of the accounts.

It further stated that for three years, beginning in 2008, Newman diverted to himself more than $900,000 in monies from the Farringtons’ trust accounts, and also diverted more than $400,000 to Morgante, which included the purchase of a $325,000 townhouse.

According to the Attorney General’s office, in 2006, Newman introduced Morgante to Bank of America and recommended her to be the caretaker for June and Worth Farrington, who were both unmarried and without any children. According to an affidavit filed in Surrogate’s Court, Morgante is a high school drop-out without health care certifications or training. Morgante met Newman while caring for one of his clients.

The original 1999 living trusts prepared by Newman provided that the sole trustee of each trust was Bank of America and gave June and Worth Farrington a life interest in the assets in the trust. When they died, the assets were to be given outright to designated charities, including the Salvation Army, City Mission, Nature Conservancy and Women and Children’s Hospital Foundation.

In 2008, the Farringtons had combined assets of more $20 million. June Farrington died in 2008 at the age of 84 and her brother Worth Farrington died in 2014 at 87.  (Continue Reading)

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Attorney, caregiver convicted of stealing $900K from estate of Orchard Park siblings