The lawyer oath goes, “I [name] do solemnly swear as an attorney and as a counselor of this court I will conduct myself uprightly and according to the law, and that I will support the constitution of the united states.” It seems clear in expectations of a lawyer. Fight for justice and don’t break the law yourself. Wouldn’t hurt some lawyers to reread those words every once and a while. Like disbarred Cincinnati attorney Richard Crosby III who, after being charged with stealing from his clients, proceeded to steal identities to continue practicing law.
In June of 2021, Crosby was indicted and charged in Hamilton County with stealing funds from his clients. Not conduct becoming of a lawyer. Subsequently the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio disbarred Crosby. What’s a guy to do to keep practicing law after being accused of breaking the law? He breaks the law again.
In September of 2022, after having been disbarred in Ohio and arrested for a felony, Crosby applied for an attorney position with a law firm based in Miami, Florida with the new identity of Richard Williams. A licensed attorney admitted to the bar in New York and D.C. Doctored up copies of law membership directories were provided along with used another individual’s Social Security number, passport number and banking information to complete his onboarding paperwork at the law firm. Crosby, or rather Williams, was ultimately offered employment with a starting salary of $185,000 per year with a $5,000 signing bonus. Luckily, an investigator from Ohio made the firm aware of Crosby’s true identity and Crosby was fired. But our fraudster did not give up. In July 2023, Crosby again used the alias to obtain employment at a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida. This firm eventually determined Crosby was using a false identity. But this time Crosby was arrested.
Crosby now awaits trial for not only stealing from his clients, but also wire fraud, social security number fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Shout out to the investigator from Ohio who didn’t give up on catching Crosby.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Former congressional candidate turned disbarred attorney and convicted felon arrested again” published by Fox 19 on October 26, 2023
A former congressional candidate turned disbarred Cincinnati attorney and convicted felon for stealing money from clients is under arrest again.Federal agents took Richard Crosby III into custody in Mason on Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
Crosby is accused of using a false identity to get hired by at least three law firms while he was under indictment in Hamilton County for allegedly stealing from clients, new federal court records show. Federal authorities have now also charged Crosby, 36, with wire fraud, Social Security number fraud and aggravated identity theft.
