FBI: Cambridge Attorney Pleads Guilty, Advised Victim to 'Blow Off' Law Enforcement Calls

By ALISON BAUTER (Patch Staff)

CAMBRIDGE, MA - A Boston lawyer repeatedly encouraged the victim of a hate crime to ignore calls from state and federal law enforcement officials, according to a guilty plea filed in state court Monday.

Timothy Flaherty, 51, of Cambridge, was indicted in May of last year on federal witness tampering charges. Monday, he pleaded guilty to disrupting state court proceedings in Middlesex Superior Court in order to resolve the federal charges, the Boston Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a press release.

According to the plea agreement shared in that release, Flaherty will be placed on probation for one year, must refrain from practicing law during that period, and submit to professional discipline by the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.

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Per the FBI press release:

"Flaherty served as the criminal defense attorney for a defendant in Cambridge District Court facing civil rights charges. Shortly after his client was arraigned, Flaherty contacted the victim of the case and offered him cash in exchange for informing state authorities that the victim was too busy to pursue the case and no longer wanted to assist in the prosecution of Flaherty’s client. On Dec. 24, 2014, Flaherty met the victim and provided him with an envelope that contained $2,500 in cash. He instructed the victim to ignore contact from law enforcement authorities and in the event he received a subpoena to appear, he was to immediately call Flaherty. On March 12, 2015, during a hearing at Cambridge District Court, Flaherty pressed for a trial date and then asked the Assistant District Attorney whether the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office had been able to contact the victim.

"On May 6, 2015, the victim informed Flaherty that he had received a letter from the District Attorney’s Office. Flaherty instructed the victim to tell the District Attorney’s Office, 'I have no interest in this. I’d have to come to court, I really don’t want anything to do with it. Um, you know the guy had a bad day and I’m just not going to testify …' Flaherty also told the victim, '…they won’t press you, they won’t subpoena you, if they try to, just duck it….'

"The victim then informed Flaherty that he had received a voice message from an employee of the United States Attorney’s Office who wanted him to call her back regarding the alleged indictment. Flaherty told the victim to, 'blow her off.' The victim stated to Flaherty that this U.S. Attorney’s Office employee said she was from 'civil rights.' Flaherty continued to advise the victim not to call her back."

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bloomer of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit who was sworn in as a Special Assistant Attorney General to handle this matter in Middlesex Superior Court.