Disbarred Bellmore Lawyer Accused Of Stealing $372K

MINEOLA, NY — Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced Friday that an attorney who was disbarred from practicing law in New York was arrested and charged with engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. Gregg Luckman, 53, of Bellmore, was also charged for stealing $372,500 in escrow funds from a client he represented in the sale of a $7.4 million apartment building in Manhattan, according to a statement by the district attorney’s office.

Luckman was arraigned Friday and charged with grand larceny in the second degree and practice of law by an attorney who has been disbarred, suspended, or convicted of a felony (an E felony). If convicted of the top charge, the maximum sentence is five to 15 years in prison.

He is due back in court on May 14.

"This former attorney is charged with practicing law after he was disbarred and stealing $372,500 in client funds from an escrow account," DA Singas said in a statement. "My office will continue to hold attorneys accountable for betraying the trust of their clients and their oath to uphold the law."

DA Singas said that on July 25, 2018, Luckman was disbarred by the Appellate Division, Second Department, after submitting a sworn affidavit to the Grievance Committee in support of his application to resign as an attorney.

Despite Luckman’s affidavit, he was hired as an attorney and began representing a client in the sale of a $7.4 million apartment building in Manhattan, executed on June 20, 2018, Singas' office said.

After Luckman’s disbarment, the district attorney's office claimed he continued to represent the client at the closing of the sale of the property that occurred on October 3, 2018.

As part of the sale, the purchaser provided Luckman with a down payment of $555,000 to be held in Luckman’s escrow account located in Nassau County. Instead of releasing these funds to his client, Luckman allegedly made a partial payment to his client of $175,000 from other accounts and withdrew the escrow funds for himself. Luckman used the funds to operate his business, issue checks to himself and multiple entities, and conducted debit transfers to his other bank accounts in excess of $290,000 from June 20, 2018 to April 9, 2019, the statement said.

If you believe you were the victim of Gregg A. Luckman, please contact the Nassau County DA’s Office, Financial Crimes Bureau at 516-571-2149.