Disbarred Chesco Attorney Charged With Theft From Former Clients

WEST CHESTER — A 61-year-old disbarred attorney was charged with failing to pay back a former client a downpayment of $84,000 when he was disbarred by the Pennsylvania Supreme County for stealing from another former client.

Thomas Schindler remains free on $50,000 bail after being arraigned before District Judge Albert Iacocca in Kennett Square on numerous counts of theft, according to court records available today.

This is the second time Schindler, who was disbarred on July 7, 2020, has been accused of stealing money from a client.

In the latest case, county detectives received a complaint regarding retainer money given to the defendant by a client who hired him as a defense attorney.

The victim paid the defendant $95,000 in August 2019 for representation in a criminal matter.

The investigation disclosed Schindler was disbarred in July 2020, and the criminal matter involving the victim was transferred to another attorney.

Detectives discovered that the victim was never paid the $84,000 balance owed to him at the time of the defendant’s disbarment despite numerous attempts and requests by the victim and his new attorney.

“Clients place enormous faith and trust in their lawyers to always have their best interests at heart, but that is broken when lawyers put their own greed above anything else,” Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said.

“In stealing his clients’ money – and breaking their trust – Thomas Schindler also tarnished the reputation of the many good lawyers in our community. My office will push to hold him accountable under the law for his criminal actions.”

In a June 2021 case, Schindler was charged with misapporiating nearly $1 million from former clients who hired him for a divorce case, according to prosecutors.

The charges stemmed from a 2018 financial agreement where he failed to make required transfers of proceeds from the sale of their home.