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Choi operated a law office on Northern Boulevard in Flushing.
By Forum Staff
A disbarred Flushing lawyer has admitted to bilking over 50 clients out of more than $1.8 million, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.
Yohan Choi, 47, who operated a law office on Northern Boulevard in Flushing, and was charged in two separate criminal complaints. On Monday, Choi pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the fourth degree. Sentencing has been set for April 6. Choi will serve 1 1⁄2 to 4 1⁄2 years in prison. At the time of his plea, Choi signed 28 confessions of judgment to repay in excess of $1.8 million to make his victims whole.
According to the charges, Choi held bank accounts for his law practice at several financial institutions, including Chase, Capitol One and HSBC. A forensic examination of these accounts showed dozens of deposits for lawsuit settlements on behalf of Choi’s clients.
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“As a member of the bar, this defendant took an oath to uphold the law. Unfortunately, his greed overpowered his sense of duty,” DA Katz said.
According to court records, in November 2016 a woman Choi represented in a personal injury lawsuit agreed to settle the case for $52,500. The victim was entitled to just over $35,000, however, she never received any money from the settlement.
Another female client of Choi’s settled her lawsuit in May of 2018 for $75,000. After the lawyer’s fee and other expenses were deducted the victim should have received just over $50,000. Choi never turned over that money, despite the insurance company depositing a check totaling $75,000 into his account.
A man who also hired Choi to represent him in a personal injury case agreed to settle for $45,000 and was entitled to receive $30,150. The investigation showed that Choi’s bank account received a check from the insurance company for $45,000 on May 12, 2020. Three days later, though, that same escrow account balance totaled just $423. The victim never received the money he was due.
According to the charges, the defendant repeated this scheme at least 50 times over the course of five years. Clients due varying sums of money—from as little as $1,000 to more than $50,000—were left empty-handed. In all these instances, Choi’s business accounts show the checks were deposited—totaling more than $1.8 million—but his victims were never issued a check they were due.
Choi’s license to practice law was suspended in November 2017.
“As a member of the bar, this defendant took an oath to uphold the law. Unfortunately, his greed overpowered his sense of duty,” Katz added.
