Lawyer indicted on federal fraud charges

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Updated Wednesday, May 4 at 0:29 AM

http://www.accessnorthgeorgia.com/news/hall/newfullstory.asp?ID=92001

Lawyer indicted on federal fraud charges

from staff reports

ATLANTA - A federal grand jury has indicted 55-year-old F.

Peebles of Flowery Branch , charging him with wire fraud, mail

fraud, bank fraud and identity theft.

The announcement was made jointly by E. Nahmias, United States

Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and

H. Byers, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret

Service, Atlanta Field Office.

According to Nahmias, Peebles was named in a 14-count indictment

charging him with wire and mail fraud, bank fraud and with violation

of the Identity Theft Enhancement Act.

The indictment charges that between October 2003 and November 2004,

Peebles, an Atlanta area attorney, forged his clients' signatures on

settlement checks without the clients' knowledge or permission, and

transferred the money for his own use.

The indictment charges that Peebles also made material

misrepresentations to his clients as to the status of settlement

payments to explain the delay in their payments. The amount of loss

suffered by the victims that are currently identified is over

$500,000.

United States Attorney Nahmias stated: " Trust between an

attorney and his client is critical to the professional

relationship. As this indictment charges, the defendant violated

that trust by stealing clients' identity in order to facilitate his

fraud on his clients and the bank. We encourage former clients of

Mr. Peebles to contact the United States Secret Service if they have

settled their lawsuits, but have yet to receive their settlement

checks. "

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the United

States Secret Service, with assistance from the Gwinnett County

Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bjay Pak is

prosecuting this case.

For further information ,please contact E. Nahmias, United

States Attorney or F. Gentry Shelnutt, Chief, Criminal Division,

through Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's

Office, at (404) 581-6016.

The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office

for the Northern District of Georgia is: www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan .