Trusts and estates lawyer pleads guilty to stealing client money
- Jeff Blumenthal
- Reporter- Philadelphia Business Journal
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Gomer Thomas Williams, 54, of Philadelphia, was charged in late January via criminal information — which usually means a plea agreement of some sort is in the offing — with one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud clients. And the plea came Monday in front of U.S. District Court Judge Legrome Davis, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 23. Williams faces a potential advisory sentencing guideline range of 33 to 41 months in prison and a possible fine.
Williams was an associate at Spector Gadon between 2007 and 2012, during which time prosecutors said he defrauded four of his trust and estate clients of approximately $503,361 by diverting funds from their accounts to his personal accounts, and by over billing them for legal work that was not performed.
Williams served as a trustee and estate administrator/executor and prosecutors said he exercised complete control over client funds, including their checking accounts. The information alleges that he abused that fiduciary position in transferring funds from their accounts to pay his own personal expenses, including his mortgage.
Spector Gadon Chairman Paul Rosen said in an interview back when Williams was charged that he received a call in August 2012 from Cozen O’Connor criminal defense lawyer William Winning requesting a meeting. Rosen said Winning told him he was representing Williams, who goes by the name Tom, and informed him about what his client had done. Williams voluntarily accepted disbarment and turned himself in to authorities.
Rosen said Williams was immediately terminated. Records show Williams resigned his status from the Pennsylvania Bar in December 2012.
Jeff Blumenthal covers banking, insurance and law.
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