Monmouth County Real Estate Attorney Arrested

See related video here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2019

MONMOUTH COUNTY REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY ARRESTED, CLIENTS LEFT WITHOUT REPRESENTATION OR KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE THEIR ESCROW MONEY IS BEING HELD

Patel, Soltis & Cardenas, LLC. Onboards Clients from the Law Office of Steven H. Salami After Arrest

Jersey City, N.J. – On Friday, October 4, 2019, Steven H. Salami, an attorney from Monmouth County was arrested and charged with two counts of Misapplication of Entrusted Property, second degree crimes (amount was $75,000.00 or more), and three counts of Misapplication of Entrusted Property, third degree crimes (amount exceeds $1,000.00 but less than $75,000.00).[1] Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6(a), Mr. Salami faces between five and ten years in prison if found guilty of a second degree crime, and between three and five years for a third degree crime.

Misapplication of entrusted property, in the context of this arrest specifically refers to money held by Mr. Salami in his attorney trust account that was used improperly. The Monmouth County Prosecutor must prove the following five elements to convict Mr. Salami:

1. Mr. Salami knowingly applied or disposed of property;
2. The property at issue was entrusted to Mr. Salami as a fiduciary;
3. Mr. Salami’s application of disposition of the property was unlawful;
4. Mr. Salami’s application or disposition involved substantial risk or loss or detriment to the owner of the property or to a person for whose benefit the property was entrusted;
5. Mr. Salami knew that his conduct was unlawful; and
6. Mr. Salami knew that his conduct involved a substantial risk of loss or detriment to the owner of the property or to the person for whose benefit the property was entrusted.

Shortly after the arrest of Mr. Salami, the Law Offices of Patel, Soltis & Cardenas, LLC. was contacted by multiple realtors and clients working with Mr. Salami, looking to transition pending matters in New Jersey. When asked what potential victims and clients should do, Lazaro Cardenas, the Real Estate Practice Manager at Patel, Soltis & Cardenas, LLC. responded, “They need to engage counsel immediately. The most important thing is to make sure that the current open cases are handled properly and items are not missed during a transition to new counsel. If they lost money, additional steps need to be taken to protect their interests.”

When asked what steps clients should take if their attorney was arrested, Veer P. Patel, Managing Partner at Patel, Soltis & Cardenas, LLC. stated, “They need to bring as much information as they can to their new attorney. This includes emails, documents, and the contact information of all the parties involved. Your new attorney should assist you in drawing a picture of what has occurred already in your matter, and what needs to be done to complete your case.” Mr. Patel elaborated, “The job of Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office is not to assist you in your personal legal matter, but to bring criminals to justice. You need to be proactive when looking out for your own interests, even if the current circumstances surrounding your case are not the result of your own actions.”

For victims that suffered a loss of entrusted funds, a grievance needs to be filed with the Office of Attorney Ethics. They must separately file a claim with the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection after also notifying the Monmouth County Prosecutor. To file a claim with the fund, you must all 855-533-3863 or write to Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, PO Box 961, New Jersey 08625.[2] Victims are encouraged to contact Sergeant Kevin Mahoney of the Monmouth County Special Prosecutions Bureau at 732-431-7160, Extension 2945.

To summarize, clients and victims should:

1. Engage New Counsel;
2. Contact the Monmouth County Prosecutor;
3. If applicable, file a grievance with the Office of Attorney Ethics; and
4. If applicable, file a claim with the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection.

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CONTACT:

Veer P. Patel, Esq., Managing Partner – Patel, Soltis & Cardenas LLC.

patel@focusedlaw.com

(844) 533-3367

Lazaro Cardenas, Esq., Managing Partner - Real Estate – Patel, Soltis & Cardenas LLC.

patel@focusedlaw.com

(844) 533-3367

[1] Source: http://mcponj.org/2019/10/04/hazlet-attorney-arrested-for-stealing-285000-from-clients/

[2] Source: https://njcourts.gov/attorneys/oae.html