Valery, who had ''convinced colleagues, clients, and judicial officials'' that he was an attorney, wrongfully charged the firm lawyer fees without, well, being an actual lawyer.
In 1998 Valery began working as a paralegal at Anderson, Kill & Olick, making $21,000 a year. However, he later claimed he had graduated from Fordham Law School in 2002, had passed the New York bar exam in 2003, and was "admitted to practice law in...2004," recalled spokeswoman Jennifer Kushner. Valery's salary soon increased as he began billing client Purdue Pharma "based on his lawyer's salary."
Not until October 2006 did Anderson Kill discover Valery's "deceit."
"Only a telephone call to Anderson Kill from one of Valery's college friends tipped off the New York firm, according to an investigation conducted last year by Connecticut Chief Disciplinary Counsel Mark A. Dubois. The friend apparently couldn't find Valery's name among registered New York lawyers but found him listed as an Anderson Kill attorney. The call raised red flags at Anderson Kill. By then, the Connecticut case involving Purdue Pharma had settled," says the article.
Now, having pled guilty before New York State Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro, Valery must repay $150,000 by January 30 or else face five to 15 years in prison.
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