Legal Ethics

Ex-Attorney Who Stole From Estate Gets 3 Years

By Martha Neil

Jul 23, 2008, 02:40 pm CDT

After stealing more than $4 million from the estate of two elderly clients, a Connecticut lawyer paid it back--with interest.

But a judge nonetheless sentenced Peter Sivaslian, 76, to three years in prison yesterday, according to the Register Citizen and Newsday.

He pleaded no contest in May to two counts of first-degree larceny in the case.

According to an earlier Register Citizen article, Sivaslian obtained the money by arranging to have $1.8 million in bearer bonds delivered by messenger to his home in Torrington, Conn., and transferred $1.7 million in blue-chip stocks into personal bank accounts, an accountant found.

Earlier coverage:

Register Citizen (2006): "Ex-lawyer may need to show assets"