Timothy Griffin, former president of the United Hebrew Cemetery, had faced up to nine years in prison for embezzling more than $2 million from that non-profit organization, according to the press release.
However, investigators learned Griffin – in his role as an attorney – stole more than $175,000 from a client’s escrow account after he was arrested for the United Hebrew Cemetery thefts, court records show.
Consequently, Griffin was sentenced Tuesday to serve 52 months to 13 years in prison.
The investigation revealed Griffin embezzled the money from United Hebrew Cemetery in an attempt to conceal that he had stolen money from legal clients during a nearly five-year period, according to the press release.
“This defendant stole from the clients of his law practice, and then stole millions from a charity in an attempt to disguise that theft,” Schneiderman said. “Even after being charged, he continued to abuse the trust of his clients by stealing additional client funds. This sentence sends a strong message that my office has zero tolerance for anyone who abuses the public trust – especially repeat offenders.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice Eastchester and receive free news updates.