Lakewood Attorney Faces Charges of Stealing $83,000 from His Clients

Lakewood attorney Bryan Freeman was indicted Thursday by a Cuyahoga County grand jury on five charges of felony theft.

The personal injury lawyer is accused of stealing more than $83,000 from five clients over a three-year period. The grand jury found that Freeman accepted money from clients for services he did not deliver, or failed to pay out settlement amounts. 

The 41-year-old faces up to seven years in prison. The Freeman Law Office, at 17413 Detroit Avenue, is now abandoned.

There is a “for lease” sign in the window.

Earlier this month, the Ohio Supreme Court permanently disbarred Freeman following an 18-count complaint involving more than 50 violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Rules of Professional Conduct in his dealings with eight different clients.

The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office began its investigation, after several complaints were filed with the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

He is accused of stealing a total of $83,000 from five clients — $61,000 from one victim, $5,200 from another; $15,000 from a third victim; $1,500 from a fourth complainant; and $747 from the fifth victim.

“These clients would retain him, he wouldn’t follow through with the services he was hired for,” said Ryan Miday, a spokesman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason’s office. “Or he never remitted the settlement amounts — for example the one for $1,500 that was an upfront fee and he never followed through.”

Four of the charges are fourth-degree felonies, carrying up to 18 months each; and one is fifth-degree felony, which carries up to one year in prison.

The alleged thefts occurred from 2008 to 2011, Miday said.

“We’ll seek restitution for the victims,” he added.

Freeman is expected to be arraigned on May 5 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.