Missouri Lawyer Accused of Stealing More Than $300K From Clients

Missouri Lawyer Accused of Stealing More Than $300K From Clients


A Ladue lawyer has been indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on three mail fraud counts and accused of stealing from clients.

Steven P. Gartenberg, 46, who had an office in Brentwood, appeared in court Tuesday and will plead not guilty Wednesday, lawyer Art Margulis said.

Gartenberg's indictment, which was handed down March 17 but unsealed Tuesday, claims Gartenberg took more than $100,000 from the estate of someone who died in 2009. Gartenberg was supposed to send money to the Kirkwood United Methodist Church, the Alzheimer's Association and three individuals but used some of the money for his personal use and use by his law firm.

The indictment also says Gartenberg was appointed guardian of a mentally disabled woman in 2007 and later "made in excess of $200,000 in unapproved withdrawals ... through fraud, embezzlement and theft."

Reached Tuesday, Margulis said, "We'll attempt to cooperate with the government and work our way through this." He said Gartenberg has been disbarred.

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http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_c152cf80-54ce-11e0-aadd-00127992bc8b.html

Ladue Lawyer Accused of Stealing More Than $300,000 From Clients

Editor's note:  Missouri has a long way to go in order to catch up with the thieves in the Probate Court of Cook County. $300,000 is chicken feed compared with the millions being stolen in Illinois. In the Probate Court of Cook County,  a judge appointed a mentally disabled woman to be guardian of a disabled aged ward.   Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com