LOUISVILLE, KY – A once-respected Louisville attorney and his wife are headed to federal prison after admitting to a brazen scheme to steal from their clients and skip out on over $100,000 in taxes. The Clooneys thought they could line their pockets with other people’s money and avoid Uncle Sam – they were dead wrong.
Andrew Nicholas Clooney, 55, received a sentence of 2 years and 9 months imprisonment, followed by 2 years of supervised release. His wife, Christel Marie Clooney, 51, will spend 2 years and 3 months behind bars, also followed by 2 years of supervised release. There’s no early release in the federal system; they’ll serve their time.
The couple wasn’t just ordered to serve time. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced they must also pay $663,965.16 in restitution to the former clients they swindled. Clooney ran the Clooney Law Office, specializing in personal injury, while Christel Clooney managed the books. From August 2016 through October 2018, the pair treated the client trust account like their personal piggy bank, funneling funds into personal expenses.
But the greed didn’t stop there. In 2016 alone, the Clooneys raked in approximately $426,098 in income. Instead of paying the roughly $107,140 in federal income taxes they owed, they simply ignored it. No tax return was filed, and no payment was made. They figured they could get away with it, a common delusion among those who think they’re smarter than the law.
The U.S. Secret Service, led by Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the Louisville Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, under Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the Cincinnati Field Office, weren’t fooled. The agencies launched a thorough investigation, unraveling the Clooneys’ scheme and bringing them to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory skillfully prosecuted the case, securing the convictions and sentences.
This case serves as a stark warning: no one is above the law, especially those entrusted with the financial well-being of others. The Clooneys traded their professional reputations and freedom for a short-lived splurge, and now they’re paying the price. This isn’t just about money; it’s about the betrayal of trust and the erosion of public confidence in the legal system.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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