West Long Branch Attorney Stole $58K From Deceased Client: Prosecutor

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — A former attorney from West Long Branch has been criminally charged with stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a deceased client’s estate and spending the funds on himself, rather than using them for their designated purpose, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Tuesday.

Michael Botton, 52, of West Long Branch is charged with second-degree theft by unlawful taking and third-degree failure to make required disposition of property received.

The county prosecutor says that Botton, whose law office was formerly located in West Long Branch, made a series of unauthorized withdrawals from his deceased client’s estate at various times from June 2014 through October 2020. In total, he spent nearly $58,000 in stolen funds on personal expenses, said the prosecutor.

The investigation further determined that Botton also allegedly failed to fulfill his responsibilities as executor of the estate, specifically by cutting off contact with and failing to make required payments to the client’s goddaughter, whose share of the estate was intended to help her pay for her education overseas.

Botton surrendered himself to authorities without incident on Friday and was released pending a first appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court.

The case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Kristen Anastos of the Office’s Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau. Botton is being represented by Steven E. Nelson, Esq., with an office in Neptune Township.

The case against Botton started after the Monmouth County Prosecutor got a referral from the Office of Attorney Ethics of the New Jersey Supreme Court.