A former Brooklyn paralegal has been charged with embezzling more than $400,000 from the law firm where he worked, according to the Brooklyn district attorney. The defendant allegedly stole from the firm’s Interest On Lawyer Account fund, which contained settlement money belonging to firm clients, and then used the money to pay personal expenses, including credit card bills.
“This defendant allegedly violated the trust of his firm’s clients by stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars to which he was not entitled," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. "Criminal misconduct cannot be tolerated in the legal profession, and we are committed to holding this defendant accountable for his alleged fraud."
The defendant was identified as Steven Cher, also known as Vladislav Cherednichenko, 48, recently of Leander, Texas. He has been charged with second-degree grand larceny, second-degree money laundering, first-degree identity theft and thirty-two counts of first-degree falsifying business records. The defendant was released on his own recognizance and ordered to return to court on May 1, 2023.
“As alleged, Steven Cher exploited his trusted position as a paralegal with the Law Office of Yuriy Prakhin to embezzle over $400,000 from several of the firm’s clients. Financial fraud and embezzlement are not victimless crimes," Homeland Securities Investigations New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said.
"Those who are defrauded often suffer financial and emotional turmoil as they seek to recover from the offenses against them. The success of this investigation highlights the importance of collaborative law enforcement partnerships to apprehend these types of perpetrators and grant justice for their victims.”
According to the investigation, from 2015 to 2018, the defendant worked as a paralegal at the Law Office of Yuriy Prakhin where he assisted in handling settlement checks to clients.
It was alleged the defendant stole over $400,000 from the IOLA account. He deposited approximately $288,611 of these funds into a bank account that he opened in the name of another person.
The defendant also allegedly diverted 16 checks worth $127,524 made out to clients of the firm into bank account in his own name. Furthermore, it is alleged the defendant used the embezzled funds on travel and restaurants, as well as to pay his credit card bills.
The defendant was arrested in Tennessee earlier this month and waived extradition to New York.
