PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release on October 26, 2005
Contact: William J. Smith (718) 556-7150
William.Smith@rcda.nyc.gov

D.A. Donovan: S.I. Attorney Accused of $155k+ Grand Larceny & Related Charges
***Dennis Vourderis, 50, Charged With Grand Larceny, Possession of Forged Checks & Stolen Property; D.A.’s Office is Seeking Additional Victims***

STATEN ISLAND, NY - Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. announced today the arrest, Wednesday evening, of attorney Dennis Vourderis (DOB: 4/27/1955) of the Tottenville section of Staten Island on charges of Grand Larceny in the 2nd and 4th Degrees, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the 2nd Degree, and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. Vourderis, whose license to practice law has already been suspended in New York is accused of bilking over $155,000 from two clients and cashing two forged checks stolen from a Staten Island real estate firm.

District Attorney Donovan stated, “Dennis Vourderis is alleged in this complaint to have betrayed the fiduciary responsibility placed in him by his clients, by purposely misappropriating, for his personal use, the funds remitted to him for financial transactions. As a result of these actions three individuals are facing serious financial issues and one victim is even facing bank foreclosure of his home. My office is meeting with additional clients of the defendant who may have been similarly victimized. We believe there may be scores of additional victims across the metro area and I would encourage them to contact my office as soon as possible.”

On December 14, 2004 Vourderis represented a 51 year old male resident of West New Brighton, in the refinancing of the victim’s home with a loan of approximately $190,000. The defendant was to pay-off the victim’s first mortgage valued at approximately $135,000 and a second mortgage valued at approximately $37,000; with the victim receiving $7,000. The defendant is alleged to have only paid the $37,000 mortgage in September 2005, while neither paying the first mortgage nor refunding the balance of approximately $150,000 to the victim. As a result of the alleged actions of the defendant, the victim’s home is currently in foreclosure.

The defendant is also alleged to have stolen $5,400 from a 36 year old male who had retained his representation on January 20, 2005 to facilitate the closing of the sale of his residence in the Port Richmond section of the borough. The victim provided the defendant with $6,000 to be held in escrow and ultimately to be dispersed in the amount of $5,300 to pay outstanding debts of the victim; with $700 ultimately to be released back to the custody of the victim. The defendant is alleged to have only paid $600 of the outstanding debts and failed to refund the victim the remaining balance.

In May of 2005, while utilizing desk space within a real estate brokerage located in the Pleasant Plains section of the borough, Vourderis is alleged to have deposited two checks, in the amounts of $67,000 and $68,000, from accounts belonging to the real estate firm, that were reported to be stolen and forged by the holder of the accounts.

The investigation is being conducted by Richmond County District Attorney’s Detective Investigators Gary Mercer and Robert Keating under the supervision of Chief Investigator Robert Turbiak. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney David Frey, Computer and Technology Investigations Unit Chief, under the supervision of ADA Mario Mattei, Chief of the Investigations Bureau.

Anyone who believes that they may have been victimized by Dennis Vourderis are encouraged to call Detective Investigators Mercer or Keating at 718-876-6300.

The defendant is schedule to be arraigned Thursday in Staten Island Criminal Court. He is represented by Patrick Broderick, Esq.

The top count, Grand Larceny in the 2nd Degree, is a Class C felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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