Long Island Attorney Accused Of Stealing $413K From Real Estate Transaction: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Melville attorney was arrested in connection with stealing more than $413K that was designated to pay off his client’s loan as part of a real estate transaction, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Friday.

Michael Tulchiner, 61, of Bellmore, faces a second-degree grand larceny charge, the DA said.

"The allegations against this attorney represent a gross violation of the trust that the victim placed in him as an attorney and a fiduciary," Tierney said in a news release. "The attorney-client relationship is an essential element of our society, and my office will not tolerate professionals using their state licenses as a license to steal."

Tulchiner, the principal attorney at The Law Office of Michael J. Tulchiner, based in Melville, was accused of stealing $413,237 from his mortgage disbursement account between August and December of 2022, prosecutors said.

Tulchiner was hired to represent his client at the closing of a real estate transaction, authorities said. Part of the closing required Tulchiner’s client to pay off a prior loan on the property that was being sold, officials said. Tulchiner was provided with a refinance loan on behalf of his client, a portion of which was designated specifically to be used to pay off the prior loan, investigators said.

The refinance loan was placed in Tulchiner’s mortgage disbursement account, and he was authorized to use the funds only for the designated purpose of paying the required amounts to close on the sale of the property, prosecutors said.

Tulchiner was required to pay $413,237 to a mortgage company for his client, officials said. He ordered a bank check for that payment on Aug. 26, 2022, authorities said.

However, rather than delivering the check, Tulchiner redeposited the money back into his account on Aug. 29, 2022, investigators said.

An analysis of Tulchiner’s bank account revealed that he subsequently spent the money on expenses related to his firm and unrelated to the authorized transaction, prosecutors said.

Tulchiner was arraigned Friday on the second-degree grand larceny charge, Tierney said.

Tulchiner was released on his own recognizance. His charge is considered non-bail eligible under current New York state law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail.

Tulchiner is due back in court on Sept. 2 and faces five to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Scott Gross.