Cobb Lawyer Used Clients' IDs To Scam Thousands: Feds

ATLANTA, GA — A Cobb County lawyer is accused of using the identities of dozens of his clients to illegally make hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself.

Chalmer "Chuck" Detling, II, 42, of Marietta, was arraigned in U.S. Magistrate Court on seven counts of wire fraud and eight counts of aggravated identity theft. He was indicted by a federal grand jury last week for using the identities of 36 former clients without their knowledge.

According to prosecutors, Detling, a personal injury lawyer and the owner of Detling Law Group in Marietta, used the clients' identities to falsely file for what are called "litigation advances." Finance companies offer litigation advances to plaintiffs to help them cover living and medical expenses while they have a personal injury or worker's compensation claim pending in court.

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Plaintiffs pay interest on the advances, but don't have to pay them off if they don't win their claim in court.

According to federal prosecutors, Detling obtained 50 fraudulent litigation advances totaling more than $383,000 between October 2014 and April 2016.

As part of the scheme, prosecutors say, Detling created fake contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses, so the finance companies could not contact the actual clients.

"Lawyers are supposed to assist their clients, not use their identities to commit fraud," said U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak. "Detling allegedly violated his ethical and fiduciary duties by using his clients’ personal information to apply for litigation advances in their names. He then kept the money for himself."

Detling was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2004. He voluntarily surrendered his law license on Oct. 31, 2016 and he is no longer allowed to practice law in the state.

The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the State Bar of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and John S. Ghose are prosecuting the case.

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