Med Mal News

Brooklyn lawyer Steven T. Rondos has been charged with stealing more than $4 million from 23 guardianship bank accounts he supervised for incapacitated elderly people and children who received settlements in medical malpractice actions. Rondos and his law firm, Raia & Rondos, were charged Jan. 28 with money laundering, grand larceny and scheme to defraud. All the crimes charged in the indictment took place between 2001 and 2008. A Jan. 28 release from New York City's District Attorney stated: “In the medical malpractice cases, the victims were awarded large sums of money for their medical, physical, and developmental needs. As guardian of the assets of the incapacitated person, Rondos was legally obligated to manage and distribute funds as needed for the care of that person. Primarily, Rondos's obligation was to ensure that funds would be available for the needs of the incapacitated person and would be available for his or her lifetime. However, in addition to making distributions for the incapacitated people, Rondos wrote checks to himself and used the stolen funds to pay for personal expenses. In at least three instances, when he was confronted with the theft, Rondos stole funds from another victim to pay back the prior victim.” The District Attorney claims Rondos used some of the funds to pay his mortgage and make renovations to his home.