Montco Lawyer, 70, Gets Prison After Stealing From Client's Estate

CHELTENHAM, Pa. (CBS) - A 70-year-old former attorney from Cheltenham is headed to jail after admitting he stole nearly half a million dollars over a period of several years from an elderly client who had no family.

Samuel Liebman was the administrator for the woman's estate, but prosecutors say he wrote himself into her will and then started making unauthorized withdrawals from her accounts.

Now, Liebman has been sentenced to 3-23 months in the Montgomery County Jail followed by 10 years' probation.

The thefts started in the late '90s. The woman died four years ago, at the age of 104.

Defense attorney Samuel Stretton says his client has accepted full responsibility for his actions.

"He feels terrible," Stretton says of Liebman, "and one of his major concerns is the fact that he, as a practicing lawyer for 44 years, brought disgrace to the legal profession."

Stretton says Liebman has no explanation for why he did it, but prosecutors call it greed, and say he used the money -- which was supposed to go to charities -- for trips, dinners, and to buy antiques.

Liebman has paid back $250,000 so far.

Reported by Brad Segall, KYW Newsradio 1060.