Last year, a man was arrested for pretending to be a lawyer. The man was at the Delaware County Courthouse facing charges for an assault case when he ran into a women who needed help finding a lawyer for her boyfriend. The man accepted the woman’s fee of $1,300 and promised to aid her boyfriend as his attorney.
He also apparently represented that he had an office in the Municipal Services Building at 15th and JFK Boulevard. He took her money, stating that he would be back after going to his office, but he never returned. He also did not respond to text messages, and hung up on her when she demanded that he return her money. She reported the incident to the Philadelphia Police Department, and they suspect that this may not be the first time that this has happened.The man is now being charged with theft by an unlawful taking, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property.
This theft charge is increased because the man represented that he was an attorney, an officer of the court. This type of offense is particularly troublesome because not only did he take money from this victim; he also inhibited the victim’s defense for her boyfriend. If she thought an attorney was working on the case, then she may not have engaged another attorney.
It is also possible that this whole case is misunderstanding. Both the victim and the man who was allegedly pretending to be an attorney should obtain lawyers to help them through this case. If you have been the victim of a crime or if you are charged with committing a crime, contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. The attorneys at Mandracchia and McWhirk are happy to help with your legal needs. Call 610-584-0700 today!