31 August 2004 – LAWFUEL – Best for law, law news, legal news, legal research The former director of administration for the Beverly Hills Bar Association was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for embezzling well over $800,000 from the lawyers group.
David Alan Wolf, 41, of Los Angeles (90064), was sentenced this morning by United States District Judge S. James Otero. In addition to the prison term, Judge Otero ordered Wolf to pay restitution in the amount of $823,735. Wolf was remanded into custody at the conclusion of today’s sentencing hearing.
Wolf pleaded guilty on June 15 to three counts of possessing and uttering forged checks of the Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA). Wolf, whose responsibilities included drafting and approving BHBA check, caused 133 checks to be made out to himself from 2001 through 2003. Initially, he made the checks appear to reimburse him for petty cash expenditures; later he forged the signature of the executive director.
At today’s sentencing hearing, BHBA president Stephen Rohde urged the court to impose the maximum sentence because of the impact Wolf’s crimes had on the group’s operations. Judge Otero said that the sentence was necessary to address the harm inflicted by Wolf, particular the inability of the BHBA to contribute to scholarships for needy law students and to charitable organizations.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
