Long Island Man Charged with Stealing $6.7M from Clients

Prosecutors say that a Manhattan title agent was arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing $6.7 million from clients in 105 separate real estate closings.

Laurence Lewitas, 47, a divorced father and recovering alcoholic from Long Island faces grand larceny charges and 25 years in prison for a scams he's accused of running from 2006 to 2008.  Lewitas has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors said that he failed to record deeds and mortgages or pay city and state taxes for the clients.  Instead, he pocketed their cash and used it to pay for fees and taxes for prior unrecorded closings and for personal expenses. He was held on $500,000 bail.

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