Lawyer pleads guilty in law firm embezzlement
A Pittsburgh lawyer has pleaded guilty to bank fraud in connection with several interrelated schemes, including the embezzlement of funds from his law firm.
Erik Sobkiewicz, 51, pleaded guilty on Monday, report the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pennsylvania Record, the Westmoreland Times and a press release.
Prosecutors said Sobkiewicz used resources of his firm, Campbell and Levine, to advance businesses he controlled. He “lulled the law firm into believing” his actions were legitimate by sending invoices from the firm to the companies he controlled, according to prosecutors.
He is also accused of diverting money from a real estate closing owed to the law firm to his personal account, and diverting funds from the firm’s escrow account to his own account.
According to the press release, he was also accused in several loan fraud schemes.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 21.
