Lawyer admits stealing $11 million to invest in strippers and, er, crisps
12 October 2012
Former US lawyer Douglas Arntsen faces a lengthy stretch in prison after pleading guilty to stealing an impressive $10.7 million from clients in the space of just two years. The offence means Arntsen races to the top of RollOnFriday's Dodgy Solicitor league table.

Arntsen was an associate at major US firm Crowell & Moring from 2007 to 2011. However as well as putting in his 2,000+ hours a year, he was also stealing money from two major clients of the firm. And it wasn't just the occasional fiver slipping into his back pocket. Between 2009 and 2011, he squirrelled away an astonishing $10.7 million dollars here's the warrant for his arrest). Which makes the City of London's top legal crooks look like small fry.

Douglas looking forward to his twelve stretch.

Arntsen put the money to work in a range of projects, clearly seeing the benefit of well diversified portfolio. According to the arrest warrant, he invested in dry cleaners, crisp distributors and, in true high-rolling style, posh meals and strippers.

Arntsen was extradited back to the US from Hong Kong at the end of 2011. Having made a bargain with prosecutors in return for his guilty plea, Arntsen will face up to 15 years inside when he is sentenced next week. A spokesman for Crowell & Moring said the firm was "pleased" with the guilty plea, although presumably less pleased that Arntsen is yet to pay back the money he owes.

Here's the current Dodgy Solicitor Hall of Shame, to be updated after Arntsen's sentencing:

Name	Jurisdiction	Crime	Sentence
Matthew Kluger, ex Skadden	USA	Insider trading	12 years
Martin Weisberg, ex Bakers	USA	$3m money laundering, securities fraud	8 years expected
Simon Morgan, ex Milners	England	Theft of £1.4 million	7 years
Kevin Steele, ex Mishcon	England	£18.4m conspiracy	5 years 6 months
Louise Martini, ex Williamson & Soden	England	Theft of £1.7m	5 years
Hugh Wotherspoon, ex Laddas & Parry	England	Groping on a night bus	5 years on the Register
Ajayi Seun, ex Doves Solicitors	England	Fraud involving £5.5m	4 years
David O'Shea, ex O'Donovan	Ireland	Theft of €779,000	4 years
Kenneth Hunt, ex Hunt Kidd	England	Theft of £1m	4 years
Christopher Grierson, ex Lovells	England	Theft of £1.3m	3 years
Barbara Gayton, ex Hunt Kidd	England	Theft of £1m	2 years
Elena Quinlivan	England	£1.3 million mortgage fraud	2 years
Andy Hodges, ex Fraser Brown/Challinors	England	Theft of £70,000	18 months
Emma Rowsell, ex CC	England	Theft of £63,000	18 months
Richard Simkin, ex Fulbright	England	Theft of £100,000	16 months
Judie Groom, ex CC	England	Theft of £23,000	15 months
Leonard Sawyer	USA	Lewd acts	180 days expected
Partner, Hogan Lovells	Dubai	Running a red light	20 days
Pissed trainee, Freshfields	Dubai	Being pissed	2 days