Lawyer Represented Client in Personal Injury Claim after Car Accident, Allegedly Stole
$60,000 of Negotiated Settlement
A Lake Success attorney was arraigned on April 19 for allegedly stealing $60,000 from a woman
he represented in a personal injury claim in January 2021.
Sean O’Leary, 64, of Huntington, was arraigned before Judge Norman Sammut on one count of
grand larceny in the second degree (a C felony). He pleaded not guilty and was released on his
own recognizance.
According to the charges, the victim was injured in a car accident in May 2018 and hired
O’Leary of Sean O’Leary & Associates, PLLC to represent her as her attorney in a personal
injury claim.
O’Leary negotiated a settlement with the other driver’s insurance company, and, in January
2021, he had the victim sign a release allowing a $90,000 settlement check to be issued to
himself. He was to keep $30,000, representing one-third of the settlement, as a legal fee and
forward the remaining funds to the victim.
The investigation showed that none of the funds were forwarded to the victim, despite multiple
requests by the victim. Instead, O’Leary allegedly withdrew the funds from his account through
domestic wires, checks written out to himself, and other withdrawals.
O’Leary was disbarred by the Second Department on April 20, 2022. He is due back in court on
April 26. If convicted, he can face up to five to 15 years in prison.
“This defendant allegedly exploited his client at a vulnerable time, stealing tens of thousands of
dollars that she received to settle a personal injury claim after a car accident,” said Nassau
County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Navigating the difficult process of making an injury-
related claim is eased for many by hiring a personal injury attorney. Clients should never have to
worry that the attorney they hire may violate their trust and deceive them.”
If you believe you have been the victim of Sean O’Leary, contact the District Attorney’s
Criminal Complaint Bureau at 516-571-3505.