Legal Ethics
Ex-Lawyer Found Dead as Fed'l Trial in Embezzlement Case Is Hours Away
Accused of embezzling at least $2.2 million from clients over a two-year period, a former lawyer was found dead in his Indiana home early Sunday, hours before he was scheduled to go to trial in federal court in Hammond.
Authorities say the death of 46-year-old William Crabtree II was not a homicide and are still investigating to determine a cause of death, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.
The former solo practitioner and operator of Great Lakes Title & Trust allegedly resorted to forgery to convert funds given to him by clients for other purposes to his own use. He gave up his law license earlier this year, as he was facing an attorney disciplinary action over his claimed misconduct.
