NY Lawyer Pleads Guilty To Stealing Nearly $2M From Staten Island Cemetery
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New York real estate lawyer has pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $2 million from the United Hebrew Cemetery on Staten Island between 2012 and January 2014.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Wednesday that Timothy Griffin will be sentenced to three to nine years in prison on the grand larceny charge.
Griffin had a law practice in Bronxville and was serving as acting president of the Staten Island cemetery.
Prosecutors believe he stole from the cemetery to reimburse money he had been stealing from his clients.
They say Griffin spent his clients' money on personal expenses including jewelry, cars and a country club membership.
"This defendant not only stole from the clients of his law practice, but then stole millions from his charity in an attempt to disguise that theft," said Schneiderman said in a news release. "My office has zero tolerance for anyone who abuses the public trust by taking advantage of a position at a nonprofit. If you use a charity as your own personal piggy bank, you will face serious consequences, including jail time."
Griffin is expected to plead guilty on Feb. 19 in Westchester County Court to the thefts from his clients.
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