MIAMI — A disbarred South Florida attorney has been charged in federal court with wire fraud and money laundering after allegedly embezzling approximately $650,000 from a client’s estate, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri.
John Spencer Jenkins, 54, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was indicted on charges that he misappropriated $643,399.35 intended for the heirs of a deceased client. As detailed in the indictment, Jenkins was entrusted with managing the funds through his legal firm’s Interest on Trust Account (IOTA). Instead of distributing the money to the decedent’s heirs, Jenkins allegedly funneled the funds into his firm’s account for personal use and then laundered the money through another account.
Jenkins was arrested yesterday in Philadelphia, Pa., and is scheduled to appear at an initial hearing today at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Philadelphia.
Jenkins faces three counts of wire fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and three counts of money laundering, which could result in up to 10 years per count. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors if Jenkins is convicted.
The FBI conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is handling the prosecution.