ABA
A New York attorney was recently arrested for allegedly stealing more than $855,000 from his clients to pay for gambling and personal expenses during a two-year period.
In Suffolk County, New York, an investigation of Peter Giattino, 43, of Wading River, New York, alleges that the attorney took money from several clients between October 2023 and October 2025 to perform services that he did not deliver.
In one case uncovered in the investigation, Giattino allegedly stole $751,687 from a client whose real estate deal was derailed by the attorney after he received a wire transfer of the funds. He later withdrew the money through cash withdrawals, bank checks and spent a portion at casinos, according to coverage on PIX11.
Further investigation of Giattino alleges that he pocketed $4,500 that another client sent him to recover funds from a car dealership pertaining to a damaged vehicle.
“This defendant allegedly exploited his position as a local attorney and diverted funds that rightfully belonged to individuals relying on him for professional integrity and fiduciary responsibility,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said in a July 29 statement.
Giattino, the principal attorney at PVG Legal Solutions, was indicted July 29 of grand larceny, scheme to defraud and other charges. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
