Former US lawyer Douglas Arntsen faces a lengthy stretch in prison after pleading guilty to stealing an impressive $10.7 million from clients in the space of just two years. The offence means Arntsen races to the top of RollOnFriday's Dodgy Solicitor league table.

Arntsen was an associate at major US firm Crowell & Moring from 2007 to 2011. However as well as putting in his 2,000+ hours a year, he was also stealing money from two major clients of the firm. And it wasn't just the occasional fiver slipping into his back pocket. Between 2009 and 2011, he squirrelled away an astonishing $10.7 million dollars here's the warrant for his arrest). Which makes the City of London's top legal crooks look like small fry.
 

    Douglas looking forward to his twelve stretch.


Arntsen put the money to work in a range of projects, clearly seeing the benefit of well diversified portfolio. According to the arrest warrant, he invested in dry cleaners, crisp distributors and, in true high-rolling style, posh meals and strippers.

Arntsen was extradited back to the US from Hong Kong at the end of 2011. Having made a bargain with prosecutors in return for his guilty plea, Arntsen will face up to 15 years inside when he is sentenced next week. A spokesman for Crowell & Moring said the firm was "pleased" with the guilty plea, although presumably less pleased that Arntsen is yet to pay back the money he owes.

Here's the current Dodgy Solicitor Hall of Shame, to be updated after Arntsen's sentencing:

 

 

Name Jurisdiction Crime Sentence
Matthew Kluger, ex Skadden USA Insider trading 12 years
Martin Weisberg, ex Bakers USA $3m money laundering, securities fraud 8 years expected
Simon Morgan, ex Milners England Theft of £1.4 million 7 years
Kevin Steele, ex Mishcon England £18.4m conspiracy 5 years 6 months
Louise Martini, ex Williamson & Soden England Theft of £1.7m 5 years
Hugh Wotherspoon, ex Laddas & Parry England Groping on a night bus 5 years on the Register
Ajayi Seun, ex Doves Solicitors England Fraud involving £5.5m 4 years
David O'Shea, ex O'Donovan Ireland Theft of €779,000 4 years
Kenneth Hunt, ex Hunt Kidd England Theft of £1m 4 years
Christopher Grierson, ex Lovells England Theft of £1.3m 3 years
Barbara Gayton, ex Hunt Kidd England Theft of £1m 2 years
Elena Quinlivan England £1.3 million mortgage fraud 2 years
Andy Hodges, ex Fraser Brown/Challinors England Theft of £70,000 18 months
Emma Rowsell, ex CC England Theft of £63,000 18 months
Richard Simkin, ex Fulbright England Theft of £100,000 16 months
Judie Groom, ex CC England Theft of £23,000 15 months
Leonard Sawyer USA Lewd acts 180 days expected
Partner, Hogan Lovells Dubai Running a red light 20 days
Pissed trainee, Freshfields Dubai Being pissed 2 days

 

 

 

 

 

 

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