Legal Justice
Disbarred lawyer who disappeared is sentenced for stealing shopper cash, together with funds for girl’s care
July 9, 2025, 8:55 am CDT
A disbarred South Florida lawyer has been sentenced to 33 months in jail and ordered to pay greater than $760,000 in restitution for stealing cash from shoppers, together with property funds meant to pay for the care of a girl who’s now 89 years outdated. (Picture from Shutterstock)
A disbarred South Florida lawyer has been sentenced to 33 months in jail and ordered to pay greater than $760,000 in restitution for stealing cash from shoppers, together with property funds meant to pay for the care of a girl who’s now 89 years outdated.
U.S. District Choose David S. Leibowitz of the Southern District of Florida sentenced 55-year-old Florida lawyer John Spencer Jenkins on June 26, in keeping with a June 26 press launch and tales by the Miami Herald and Regulation.com. Jenkins had pleaded responsible to 1 rely of wire fraud and one rely of cash laundering.
Jenkins was arrested in Philadelphia in September 2024 after disappearing with shopper funds. He had been disbarred in July 2024 and ordered to pay greater than $612,000 to the property of William L. Walters, who’s known as “W.W.” in a factual proffer filed by Jenkins’ lawyer March 20.
The factual proffer mentioned Jenkins informed the executor of Walters’ property that the cash ought to be deposited into his regulation agency belief account, in order that he might handle the distribution. That illustration was “materially false and fraudulent,” the proffer mentioned.
The cash was meant for distribution to a nephew, two nieces and the care of a youthful sister who’s now 89 years outdated, in keeping with the Miami Herald.
Within the proffer, Jenkins acknowledged making three transfers for his private use: one switch of $543,832 from the property (supporting a wire fraud rely within the indictment), one other $70,000 switch (supporting the cash laundering rely), and a switch of $88,000 owed to a different shopper in reference to the sale of his firm’s property.
Jenkins entered a 90-day residential substance abuse program after his arrest and launch, in keeping with a June 13 movement for a downward departure from advisory sentencing tips. He was at the moment receiving outpatient therapy.
He suffers from anxiousness and despair, compounded by long-standing dependancy to medicine and alcohol, the movement mentioned. He suffered a serious relapse after his fiancee died from an overdose in 2021.
Jenkins is “homeless, has no property, is on meals stamps, and carries over $480,000 in debt,” the movement mentioned.
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