Fake lawyer pleads guilty; he created website using Cravath bios
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A 23-year-old Tennessee man pleaded guilty Tuesday for holding himself out as a lawyer from an elite law school and collecting fees from would-be clients.
John Lambert, whose fake attorney name was Eric Pope, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to Law360 and a press release. He conducted the scheme while he was a student at Campbell University in North Carolina, prosecutors said.
Lambert was accused of creating a fake law firm called Pope and Dunn. The website he created used lawyer biographies from Cravath, Swaine & Moore, according to previous coverage of the case.
At least six victims hired Lambert to provide legal advice on subjects that included credit report issues, drafting a will, corporate and intellectual property law, and a dispute with a former employee.
The plea deal calls for Lambert to forfeit $47,000, according to Law360. He also agreed not to appeal any sentence of less than 21 months.
