Former LI Lawyer Gets Jail Time For Stealing From Clients: Prosecutors

MINEOLA, NY — A former attorney from East Rockaway was sentenced to jail time on Wednesday for stealing money from five victims whom he represented, prosecutors announced.

Bret Christopher Votano, 45, pleaded guilty last month to a felony grand larceny charge.

He was sentenced to 20 days in jail and five years probation. Votano was also ordered to pay $65,000 in restitution for one of the victims.

"The defendant used his reputation as an attorney with experience in real estate matters to swindle his clients, and other victims involved in various property transactions, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars they entrusted to him," Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. "When the sales fell through, so did communication with the defendant. Today, we are holding him accountable for his deceit and making his victims whole."

He made off with more than $300,000 between 2016 to 2019, Donnelly said.

Votano was an experienced attorney in handling real estate transactions, including flipping houses, through his company Votano Law Group, PLLC.

He was disbarred in 2020 and surrendered to Nassau County D.A. detective investigators in January.