ATTORNEY PLEADS GUILTY TO WIRE FRAUD CHARGE

R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today that defendant Joseph J. Weisenfeld , a local real estate attorney, pled guilty to a one-count Information charging him with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to misappropriate almost $3 million in client funds purportedly held in escrow for authorized real estate transactions and related expenses.  The wire fraud charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and the payment of a fine.  Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2008 at 4:30 p.m.

According to the Information, Weisenfeld, a licensed attorney, represented individuals and/or entities, mostly buyers, in real estate transactions. As the closing agent in many of these transactions, Weisenfeld would collect funds from buyers and lenders, and would represent to the parties engaged in the transaction that these funds were being held in escrow to be disbursed for various specified purposes, including the satisfaction of pre-existing mortgages.  In fact, however, Weisenfeld misappropriated the escrowed funds for his use and benefit.  Over the course of the scheme, Weisenfeld misappropriated almost $3 million  in client funds from his attorney trust account. 

Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joan Silverstein.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.   Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov/.