Disbarred Lawyer Swindled More Than $500K From Clients: Queens DA

QUEENS, NYC — A disbarred lawyer from Bayside, Queens is facing grand larceny charges. Yohan Choi, 47, is accused of bilking more than 40 clients out of nearly $620,000, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.

According to the district attorney's office, between Aug. 2015 and Aug. 2020, Choi represented the victims in personal injury claims and allegedly failed to give his clients their share of the settlements.

“Despite being disbarred, this defendant allegedly continued to represent clients and successfully reached settlements on dozens of personal injury cases. But, instead of taking his fair share of the proceeds, this former attorney is accused of pocketing all of the settlement money – victimizing his clients a second time," Katz said.

Authorities said Choi operated a law office on Northern Boulevard in Flushing for many years.

According to the charges, Choi held bank accounts for his law practice at Chase, Capitol One and
HSBC dating back to at least August 2015. A forensic examination of the accounts showed dozens of deposits for lawsuit settlements on behalf of Choi’s clients.

Based on a criminal complaint, in Nov. 2016, a woman Choi represented in a personal injury case agreed to a settlement for $52,500. The victim was entitled to just over $35,000. Even though a check from the insurance company paying the settlement was allegedly deposited into the defendant’s account, the woman never received any money, DA Katz said.

Authorities said a man who also hired Choi to represent him in a personal injury matter agreed to settle his case for $45,000 and was entitled to receive $30,150. The investigation showed that Choi’s bank account on May 12, 2020, allegedly received a check for $45,000 from an insurance company. However, three days later that same escrow account’s balance totaled just $423. The victim never received the money he was due.

According to the district attorney's office, Choi repeated this scheme at least 41 times over the course of five years. Clients due varying sums of money – from as little as $1,000 to more than $50,000 – were left empty- handed. In all these instances, Choi’s business accounts received the settlement checks that totaled more than $600,000, but his victims were never issued a check for their injuries.

Choi’s license to practice law was suspended on Nov. 20, 2017.

He is charged with grand larceny in the second degree, 41 counts of grand larceny in the third degree and the practice of law by attorney who has been disbarred, suspended or convicted ofa felony.

Choi is due back in court Dec. 30, 2021 and faces up to 15 years in prison, if convicted.