Suit Alleges Fake Law Firm Website Seeks To Scam Elderly

HOUSTON, TX — A lawsuit filed this week in a Harris County Court alleges that a website set up to solicit business for an estate planning firm is fake and is actively engaging in fraudulent practices against senior citizens.

Walsh & Padilla, according to the suit brought by the Houston Bar Association, is scamming people by offering probate and other legal services through its website, which is nothing more than a front for illegal activity. The suit alleges that in one incident a victim lost $14,000 to the scheme.

The site features photographs of actual attorneys, but, as stated in the suit, the photos were stolen from the websites of law firms. In addition, calls to the number listed on the site are fielded by an answering system that send callers to the voice mail of a man named Jonathan Walsh. In fact, it seems that "Jonathan Walsh" is actually Curt Langley, an attorney with the Houston-based Jackson Walker firm.

Whoever is behind the alleged scam is sending letters to elderly individuals in the United States and Canada, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. The letters state that proceeds from a life insurance policy are available to the recipient, but that banking and other financial details must first be disclosed.

The bar association this week obtained a court order stipulating that the website cease operations immediately; in addition, the association filed a criminal complaint with the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

"Someone with some know how-has done this and put this together," said Mary Kate Raffetto. Raffetto is an attorney at Beck Redden and has worked extensively on uncovering the scam.

The website, located here, was still up and running on Thursday morning; the bar association is attempting to locate the web server on which it is hosted so the restraining order can be delivered.

"The more we investigate, you see they're trying to cover their tracks to prevent you from finding out who hosts the site," Rafetto said.

» For more on the story go to the Houston Chronicle