A former Queens attorney has been sentenced to more than four years behind bars after pleading guilty to a wire fraud scheme targeting members of the Korean-American community. Hyun W. Lee, known to some as "Michael Lee," was hit with a 54-month prison sentence and ordered to pay hefty sums to both the government and his victims, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Lee, who was disbarred back in 2020 due to misappropriation of funds, continued his fraudulent activities by luring clients to entrust him with their money for real estate transactions; this was money he then used for personal indulgence, including gambling and financing expenses at his part-owned restaurant. Despite having been stripped of his legal credentials, Lee managed to defraud unsuspecting clients by holding himself out as a trustworthy attorney, an image bolstered, perhaps, by his standing in a community where navigating the American legal system can be notably daunting.
"The defendant was disbarred from the practice of law for reprehensible misconduct, but that severe penalty did not deter him from continuing to abuse the trust of clients, so it is my hope that he will get the message after serving a term of imprisonment for his crimes," stated United States Attorney John J. Durham to the U.S. Attorney's Office, acknowledging the gravity of the betrayal. The depth of Lee's deception became apparent when it was revealed that almost all the funds in his escrow account—believed by clients to total nearly $3 million—had been depleted to a mere $25,000.
Lee's pretended assurances to clients about equitable distribution of remaining funds, proved hollow as he struggled to fabricate a facade of security and legitimacy by manipulating documents to reflect balances that did not exist; such falsehoods further eroded the trust placed upon him by individuals seeking sincere legal representation. Those affected by the misconduct of Lee or other New York attorneys may seek some measure of redress through the Lawyer’s Fund for Client Protection, an opportunity available to those who find themselves wronged by the very professionals pledged to protect their interests.
The prosecution of Lee's case fell under the jurisdiction of the Business and Securities Fraud Section, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Hiral D. Mehta leading the charge, supported by Special Agent Martin Sullivan.
