South Florida Attorney Who Embezzled Client Funds Charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

MIAMI - A South Florida attorney, who was recently disbarred, has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering in U.S. District Court for embezzling approximately $650,000 of client funds.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office announced the unsealing of an indictment charging John Spencer Jenkins, 54, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. As alleged in the indictment, Jenkins, while working as a lawyer, was entrusted with $643,399.35 in proceeds from a client's estate that were supposed to be distributed to the client's heirs. Instead of disbursing the funds to the decedent's heirs, the indictment alleges Jenkins had the funds deposited into his firm's Interest on Trust Account only to then take the funds for his own personal gain, laundering the funds through another account in the process.

Jenkins was arrested yesterday in Philadelphia, Pa., on the Southern District of Florida indictment. Jenkins is scheduled to have his initial hearing at 1:30 p.m., today, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Philadelphia.

Jenkins is charged with three counts of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and three counts of money laundering, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. If Jenkins is convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

FBI investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting the case.

An indictment contains mere allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60172.

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