Prominent Atlanta attorney convicted of embezzling millions of dollars

[nitpicker]

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/prominent-atlanta-attorney-convicted-embezzling-millions-dollars

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Georgia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 15, 2018

Prominent Atlanta attorney convicted of embezzling millions of dollars

ATLANTA - A federal grand jury convicted Nathan E. Hardwick IV of twenty-one counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of making false statements to a federally insured financial institution on October 12, 2018.
(snip)

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Hardwick and Asha Maurya engaged in a scheme to defraud MHSLAW, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Morris Hardwick Schneider, LLC and LandCastle Title, LLC, (collectively referred to as “MHS”). MHS owned and operated a law firm that specialized in residential real estate closings and foreclosures, and it ran a title business. MHS employed approximately 800 people in 16 states. Hardwick was the managing partner of the law firm and the CEO of the title business. He also ran the law firm’s closing division, which was based in Atlanta. Maurya managed MHS’s accounting operations under Hardwick's supervision and control.

In early 2007, Hardwick and his law partners sold off part of their business, and Hardwick pocketed approximately $11.8 million. Hardwick quickly squandered that money, and by the end of 2010 he was broke and deeply in debt.

From January 2011 through August 2014, Hardwick siphoned off more than $26 million from MHS’s accounts to pay his personal debts and expenses and to finance his extravagant lifestyle. More than $19 million of that was client money that was stolen from MHS’s attorney trust accounts. Hardwick spent approximately $18.5 million of the fraud proceeds on gambling, private jets, and more than 50 different social companions.

MHS’s audited financial statements showed that the firm’s combined net income from 2011 through 2013 was approximately $10 million. During that same three-year period, Hardwick took more than $20 million out of the firm’s accounts.

Hardwick and Maurya conspired to cover-up the fraud and made numerous false statements to Hardwick’s law partners concerning the amount of money that Hardwick was taking out of the firm.
(snip)

[d_r]

1. How much money

Do mfers need

[Sherman A1]

2. Hope he gets to pay back every dime

Plus penalties and interest.