Accused Philly Lawyer Is Arrested at Alabama Bus Station with Passport and Maps, Police Say
Police acting on a tip Wednesday about a man at an Alabama Greyhound station with narcotics learned the suspect they were questioning was a lawyer wanted in connection with charges he bilked an elderly widow out of $1.1 million.
Dothan, Ala., police didn’t find any drugs, but they arrested Philadelphia lawyer Michael Kwasnik on an outstanding warrant, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Dothan Eagle and the New Jersey Star-Ledger. Police said in a press release that Kwasnik and a companion had passports and maps, “items essential for out of country travel.” He also had a large amount of cash and several prepaid cell phones, according to New Jersey Attorney General spokesman Peter Aseltine, the Star-Ledger says.
Kwasnik was indicted on Monday on charges of stealing $1.1 million from a 92-year-old woman who hired the lawyer to manage her money. Arrest warrants were issued on Tuesday when Kwasnik failed to surrender to authorities.
He is also accused of operating a Ponzi scheme in a suit by New Jersey’s attorney general.
The police tip came from a cab driver who thought Kwasnik was acting in a suspicious manner.
