Mar. 25, 2026
Attorney hit with $76.5M judgment in trust embezzlement case
A Los Angeles attorney was ordered to pay $76.5 million after a yearslong scheme siphoned funds from 24 trusts, though recovery remains limited due to bankruptcy proceedings.
A nearly 14-year dispute over millions misappropriated from two dozen trust accounts has concluded with a $76.5 million judgment against Los Angeles attorney and former certified public accountant Leslie Klein.
In a phone call on Tuesday, Klein denied the claims, noting that only one of the two co-trustees sued him, and predicting that the judgment would be nullified following bankruptcy proceedings.
Sole practitioner Donald L. Saltzman of Los Angeles, who represented the...
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