Former Cheshire Attorney Charged with Stealing from Elderly Client

A former Cheshire attorney was arrested Friday for allegedly stealing nearly $68,000 from an elderly man whose affairs he managed as a conservator.

Andrew F. Bonito Jr., 56, of 19 Chesterwood Court in Cheshire, was arrested by inspectors from the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney on a warrant charging him with one count of first-degree larceny, a felony that carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, according to a press release.

The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Statewide Prosecution Bureau in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney following a complaint by the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel in the Judicial Branch, which regulates attorney conduct in Connecticut.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Bonito, an attorney who practiced law in New Britain and later from his home in Cheshire, was appointed conservator for an elderly man by the Berlin District Probate Court on January 6, 2006.

The warrant alleges that between June 1, 2010, and September 18, 2013, Bonito misappropriated $67,789 from the man, who has since died.

Bonito was arraigned Friday in New Britain Superior Court, G.A. No. 15, where he was released on a written promise to appear July 9. The charge is merely an accusation and Bonito is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

The case is being prosecuted by the Statewide Prosecution Bureau.