Brooklyn Lawyer Stole 253K From 8 Clients, Fled Country: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — A Brooklyn personal injury attorney has been charged after stealing $253,000 from eight clients, prosecutors announced.

Alan Ross, 66, is facing second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny and first-degree scheme to defraud charges, prosecutors said.

From December 2015 to May 2019, Ross, embezzled approximately $253,000 in settlement funds from eight clients. The thefts ranged from $10,000 to $83,000, prosecutors said.

Ross transferred settlement funds from his clients’ escrow accounts to his law firm’s operating account as well as his personal account.

The lawyer is accused of spending over $52,000 of the stolen funds on a vacation to Aruba and another $3,000 on laser microsurgery.

Ross fled the country to Israel before his disbarment in February 2019. He was arrested at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last month and waived extradition to New York.

"This defendant allegedly betrayed the trust of his clients and violated his oath as an attorney by pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars to which he was not entitled," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. "Criminal conduct in the legal profession will not be tolerated, and my Office is determined to hold this defendant to account for his alleged thefts.”

Ross has been released under supervision and ordered to return to court on September 25.