A former attorney from West Hempstead was sentenced Monday to three to nine years in prison for stealing more than $5.7 million from clients and spending the funds on personal expenses.
David Frankel pleaded guilty to grand larceny in January at Nassau County court.
Prosecutors said the 52-year-old man represented seven realty companies with overlapping ownership in eight Brooklyn properties that the owners refinanced and placed $5,769,281.17 in escrow while they decided how to use the money in 2012.
Days after the deposit was made, Frankel started using the money to fund his own unsuccessful investments and to make payments in unrelated real estate transactions—all of which was unauthorized—until only of $836.81 was left two years later, authorities said.
Frankel was arrested in October 2015 and later disbarred.
