Three Attorneys Looking at Hard Time

MANHATTAN (CN) - Three attorneys and a former attorney today agreed to cough up $30 million and pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in a $66 million mortgage fraud scheme involving more than 100 homes in the greater New York City area, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Pleading guilty Friday were attorneys Jacquelyn Todaro, Neal Sultzer and Kevin Hymes, and former attorney Michael Schlussel, prosecutors said in a statement. They were among 14 defendants in the indictment filed on Aug. 4, 2011.

Todaro, 42, of Westbury, faces up to 30 years in prison at her Sept. 13 sentencing, and agreed to forfeit $6.6 million, according to the U.S. attorney's statement.

Sultzer, 61, of Plainview, faces up to 30 years in prison at his Oct. 1 sentencing, and agreed to forfeit $10.7 million.

Schlussel, 50, of Merrick, faces up to 30 years in prison at Sept. 24 sentencing, and agreed to forfeit $5.9 million.

Hymes, 39, of Armonk, faces up to 30 years in prison at his Sept. 27 sentencing, and agreed to forfeit $7.6 million.

Five other defendants-Gerard Canino, Pandora Bacon, Michael Charles, James Vignola, and Henry Richards-have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, prosecutors said.

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