Con man indicted for pretending to be a lawyer goes on the lam
Friday February 07, 2003SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) A Newport Beach man who allegedly pretended to be a lawyer in at least six criminal cases could surrender to the FBI on Friday.
Harold Goldstein was already under supervised release after serving a sentence for mail fraud when he was indicted Wednesday on two counts of making false declarations to a court.
When FBI agents attempted to arrest the 58-year-old Thursday, he had disappeared.
``He has been in contact with the FBI, and we're hoping he turns himself in,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannie Masse said.
If convicted, Goldstein faces up to 10 years in prison, she said.
Harold Goldstein appeared in court masquerading as an attorney in civil cases and immigration matters, as well as the criminal cases, federal prosecutors said.
The indictment alleges that Goldstein ``swore under oath or penalty of perjury'' that he was a licensed California attorney in documents he submitted in California federal court.
It also alleges that he used the bar number of attorney David Marty Goldstein of Redwood City.
The investigation was triggered when an employee at Harold Goldstein's ``law office'' saw a brief Goldstein filed to modify the terms of his supervised release.
Masse said an attorney from Goldstein's office alerted her to the scam.
Goldstein completed his 30-month federal prison term in March 2002. He is serving a three-year supervised release period and is not permitted to be in business for himself. He must also have his finances monitored by an accountant to ensure he repays the victims of his prior scheme.
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