A former California lawyer on Thursday admitted faking a $16.5 million General Motors injury settlement, copping to a conspiracy charge three days after Manhattan federal prosecutors said he would face an added aggravated identity theft count if he stood trial.
A California man accused of faking a $16.5 million General Motors injury settlement will face an aggravated identity theft count on top of fraud charges for allegedly forging the signature of a Kirkland & Ellis LLP partner, a Manhattan federal judge heard Monday.
A lawyer-turned-trucker accused of faking a settlement allegedly forged the signature of a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, a prosecutor told a federal judge Monday.
A California man accused of faking a $16.5 million General Motors injury settlement will face an aggravated identity theft count on top of fraud charges for allegedly forging the signature of a Kirkland & Ellis LLP partner, a Manhattan federal judge heard Monday.
Criminal Justice
Lawyer who told judge he had no knowledge of suit filed under his name gets no prison time for lie
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A California lawyer won’t face prison time for lying to a judge about his knowledge of a lawsuit filed against General Motors for clients who were accused of seeking to profit from a fictitious settlement with the automaker.
Joseph Hoats, 72, of California was sentenced Friday to six months of home confinement as part of a two-year term of supervised release, Law360 reports.
U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe of the Southern District of New York said Hoats engaged in wrongdoing, but he didn’t profit from his clients’ alleged scheme to obtain a loan from a litigation funding company, according to Law360. Gardephe also said Hoats had serious medical conditions.