Lawyer Attacked With ‘Metal Object’ In Cash Advance Company Fraud Probe

Final week, a former Philadelphia Bar chancellor, Gaetan Alfano of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, was searching to obtain assets belonging to a funds progress business matter to a $191 million judgment. It is a not-unheard of undertaking for an attorney symbolizing a court docket-appointed receiver. Then, according to authorities, the brother of one particular of the company’s founders attacked Alfano in broad daylight with a steel item. Alfano necessary seven staples to his skull and an MRI scan. Luckily, he’s predicted to return to work shortly.

Prosecutors have charged the brother, James LaForte, with retaliating towards a witness and obstruction.

If that seems like an excessive response for a lending corporation, the report agrees:

Functioning as a supervisor at Par, they say, he threatened tiny small business owners with bodily violence on additional than a person celebration for failing to repay dollars the business had superior them.

The LaFortes’ organization designed its gains by raising billions from buyers and then loaning it out — frequently at significant curiosity fees — to hard cash-strapped more compact providers unable to secure financial loans from traditional banking companies.

You know you can just create onerous contracts and safe liens on people’s house, ideal? It could be a despicable apply, but it is a single with a loaded historical past in this nation. Not that bludgeoning folks doesn’t have a loaded heritage in this state, but it is a background that ordinarily finishes in jail when the other finishes in a seaside estate.

As section of his function, prosecutors said, James LaForte supervised and encouraged Gioe — a entire body builder and reputed mob affiliate of New York’s Gambino crime loved ones — who admitted in courtroom final yr that he’d employed mob-style extortion techniques, including threatening to “stick a fork” in the head of one borrower and vowing to cut off the fingers of a further, in an exertion to recoup money owed owed to Par.

All suitable. Perhaps this had by now progressed outside of the place wherever some shady attorneys and predatory contracts have been going to form a workable business enterprise prepare. A broader criminal probe into the company’s dealings carries on. One particular suspects the corporation isn’t heading to fare well in how prosecutors describe this assault.

Attorneys confront horrible violence out there. We typically address family law lawyers getting victims of horrible violence, but this is a reminder that even the mundane task of gathering information and facts for a receiver is not often safe and sound. We want Alfano a fast recovery.

Par Funding founder’s brother charged with attacking lawyer investigating firm belongings [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Higher than the Law and co-host of Contemplating Like A Lawyer. Truly feel no cost to email any strategies, issues, or comments. Abide by him on Twitter if you are intrigued in regulation, politics, and a wholesome dose of college sporting activities news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Government Look for.