Two Lawyers – Gerald M. Saluti Jr., 49, of Howell, and Richard M. Roberts, 79, of Bloomfield Indicted for Stealing over $100,000 from clients.
The NJ Attorney General and The Division of Criminal Justice this week announced that a State Grand Jury has returned an indictment against two suspended lawyers and partners who ran a large lucrative Newark based law firm. Gerald Saluti and his partner, Richard Roberts are alleged to have stolen or otherwise misappropriated more than $140,000 from their Attorney Trust Account. The money, however, belonged to their clients. The two lawyers used the money to make car payments, pay off credit card bills, provide entertainment and other personal expenses. In addition, Roberts allegedly used $20,000 in stolen funds to make alimony payments.
The indictment charges Richard M. Roberts, and Gerald M. Saluti Jr., with conspiracy (2nd degree), theft by failure make required disposition of property received (2nd degree), hindering apprehension or prosecution (3rd degree), and perjury (3rd degree).
According to the indictment, Both Saluti and Roberts conspired to steal client funds from 2012 through August 2013. It is specifically alleged that Roberts and Saluti allegedly conspired to steal over $140,000 from four clients of their firm whose funds had been placed in the firm’s attorney trust account on behalf of their clients. .
The indictment also alleges both hindering and perjury charges. Allegedly, Roberts and Saluti falsely told law enforcement and testified under oath that their office manager and practice administrator, Gabriel Iannacone, was solely responsible for the misappropriation of client funds from the attorney trust account. They denied any wrongdoing and blamed their Admin. However, after a lengthly investigation, the detectives did not believe their story.
The detectives stated that Roberts and Saluti actually conspired with their administrator, Gabriel Iannacone in making the illegal withdrawals and other improper payments. In a separate hearing, Ianncone pled guilty on Jan. 23 to third-degree conspiracy to commit theft by failure to make required disposition of property received. Her Sentencing is pending because she may be needed to testify in the case of Saluti and Roberts.
Both Roberts and Saluit has been suspended from the practice of law. Roberts was suspended in November 2015, and Saluti was suspended in February 2014. In August 2013, both lawyers dissolved their partnership. However, the investigation in continuing and additional charges may still be filed.
“We allege that Roberts and Saluti crookedly betrayed the trust of their clients and stole from them,” said Attorney General Porrino. “Lawyers take an oath to faithfully serve their clients’ interests and uphold the law, but we charge that these men made a mockery of those obligations.”
Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Vazquez presented the case to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice. The ongoing investigation is being conducted by detectives and attorneys of the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption & Government Fraud Bureau North Squad.
Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The indictment was submitted to the Honorable Timothy P. Lydon, a Superior Court Judge serving in Mercer County. The case has now been assigned the case to Morris County, pending arraignment for both both Roberts and Saluti. will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment on the charges. Saluti is represented by Lawrence Lustberg, Esq., Gibbons, P.C., Newark, N.J.
Photo curtesy of the NJ Attorney General’s Office
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
