Legal News

Colorado paralegal charged for alleged bankruptcy services fraud in L.A.

By Jason Siegel

A Colorado-based paralegal Emmanuel Assaf was charged for allegedly advertising and providing legal services that without a licensed attorney's supervision, charging more than $200, the Associated Press reported.

Assaf faces is charged with conspiracy, financial elder abuse, grand theft, false advertising and misleading advertising as a paralegal, as well as two counts of unauthorized practice of law - carrying a maximum sentence of 4.5 years and over $15,000 in fines, if convicted.

"Some non-attorneys perform a legitimate service...Unfortunately, however, we frequently learn about consumers in need of debt relief who turn to a non-attorney bankruptcy petition preparer who
improperly provides legal advice that causes the consumers irreparable harm," said Peter Anderson, a U.S. Trustee to the Central District of California, in a press release from the City Attorney's Office.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 29, 2008 (boomark / email).