January 21, 1999

WHITESTONE LAWYER SENTENCED TO 3-9 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STEALING OVER $325,000 FROM CLIENT'S ESTATE

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced that a Whitestone lawyer convicted of stealing over $325,000 from the estate of a former client was sentenced today to 3 to 9 years in prison.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Alfred J. Parisi, 51, who practiced at 16-16 Whitestone Expressway and resides at 70 Wynn Court, Muttontown, Long Island. He was sentenced yesterday by Acting Supreme Court Justice Joseph Grosso. He pleaded guilty last November to grand larceny in the second degree and has been disbarred.

According to the District Attorney, the defendant stole $325,000 from the estate of Joseph Colletti, a former welder. The money was the proceeds of a sale of Mr. Colletti's Flushing home and other assets. It was charged that the defendant also acted as the attorney for the estate at the real-estate closing on the house, which took place on January 29, 1998 in violation of a suspension order issued at the request of the Grievance Committee on December 19, 1997. According to the District Attorney, the defendant stole the money by forging the signature of the executor of the Colletti estate on checks and depositing the checks in his own accounts.

Assistant District Attorney Phyllis Weiss of District Attorney Brown's Integrity Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Vincent J. Carroll was in charge of the prosecution.