N.Y. AG busts man who posed as immigration lawyer

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced charges Monday against a man who allegedly conned immigration judges and defrauded unsuspecting clients by passing himself as a licensed attorney.

A 35-count indictment alleges Michael Schorr convinced multiple victims that he was a lawyer in New York, defrauding his clients out of tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and filing false and forged documents with the courts. Schorr allegedly engaged in felony grand larceny and scheme to defraud, among other charges, and could face up to seven years in prison.

"This imposter claimed to be a lawyer and preyed on unsuspecting immigrants who were in desperate need of sound legal advice and stole their money," Schneiderman said. "By repeatedly making false representations to judges about his status and soliciting clients into believing he could help them during their critical immigration proceedings, this man was committing a brazen fraud while jeopardizing the livelihoods of his victims during a particularly vulnerable point. He will be held accountable."

Schorr allegedly solicited and represented many victims in court who thought he was an attorney and trusted him to provide sound legal advice. Schorr allegedly filed false documents stating that he was a licensed attorney in good standing in New York, stole money from his clients and gave his clients poor legal advice that will result in many cases needing to be re-opened. In addition to New York County, Schorr allegedly represented himself on the record to be an attorney in immigration and criminal court matters in other counties and in the state of New Jersey.

Schorr was arraigned Monday and was ordered held without bail.