Sarasota Attorney Charged With Stealing $215,000 From Clients

SARASOTA, FL – A Sarasota attorney is facing grand theft charges for reportedly misappropriating $215,353.39 from his clients.

Jordan Wallach, 63, of Sarasota, has been charged with one count of grand theft following an investigation by Sarasota Police detectives.

Wallach was a practicing divorce and family attorney between December 2014 and August 2017. In September 2017, detectives began looking into Wallach’s practice when a client attempted to cash a life insurance check from Wallach's firm and it bounced due to insufficient funds.

In October 2017, an emergency petition was issued ordering Wallach to replace the funds. When the funds were not replaced, Wallach's accounts were frozen.

Detectives spoke with several of Wallach’s clients who hired Wallach to handle family financial matters. In each case, the client attempted to retrieve funds that were entrusted to Wallace without success.

Detectives later determined that Wallach had been writing checks not listed on the accounting ledgers and was transferring money to various accounts in his name.

In February, detectives attempted to speak with Wallach but Wallach refused so the Sarasota Police forwarded the evidence it had collected to the State Attorney’s Office.

The State Attorney’s Office determined there was probable cause to prosecute Wallach and he was arrested at his home at 4926 Almanza Ave., Sarasota, without incident Thursday, June 21.

He is currently being held at the Sarasota County Jail in lieu of a $200,000 bond.

Wallach was disbarred by the Florida Bar Association in January under a Florida Supreme Court order that determined he caused “great public harm” based on his misappropriation of at least $215,000 in client funds.

Sarasota Police detectives are now trying to determine if there may be more victims. Anyone with information should contact Sarasota Police Detective Ross Revill at (941) 954-7092.

Image via Sarasota Police