Iowa Attorney Falls Prey To Nigerian Inheritance Scam
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Per The Courthouse News:
"An Iowa lawyer whose clients lost money in a Nigerian inheritance scam has been suspended for a year by the state's highest court.
"Robert Allan Wright Jr. had been practicing law for 30 years when a client named Floyd Lee Madison asked Wright for help in securing an inheritance from his long-lost cousin in Nigeria.
"Madison told Wright that a payment of $177,600 in taxes would secure an $18.8 million payment. Wright agreed to help Madison in exchange for 10 percent of the inheritance.
"Wright persuaded two other clients to loan Wright $12,000 each in return for $50,000 payments from the inheritance.
"The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board filed a complaint against Wright for his dealings with the two clients. Wright then disclosed that he had convinced three other clients to loan Madison a total of $187,000.
"The Nigerian inheritance never panned out, as Madison followed instructions to pick up the money in Madrid, but he was unable to take possession of the funds. Madison, Wright and the five clients received no money."
Full article after the jump...
"An Iowa lawyer whose clients lost money in a Nigerian inheritance scam has been suspended for a year by the state's highest court.
"Robert Allan Wright Jr. had been practicing law for 30 years when a client named Floyd Lee Madison asked Wright for help in securing an inheritance from his long-lost cousin in Nigeria.
"Madison told Wright that a payment of $177,600 in taxes would secure an $18.8 million payment. Wright agreed to help Madison in exchange for 10 percent of the inheritance.
"Wright persuaded two other clients to loan Wright $12,000 each in return for $50,000 payments from the inheritance.
"The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board filed a complaint against Wright for his dealings with the two clients. Wright then disclosed that he had convinced three other clients to loan Madison a total of $187,000.
"The Nigerian inheritance never panned out, as Madison followed instructions to pick up the money in Madrid, but he was unable to take possession of the funds. Madison, Wright and the five clients received no money."
Full article after the jump...