Office Manager For Then-Hubby's Law Office Claims Full Responsibility For Pilfering Over $2.3 Million From Real Estate Closing Trust Account; Attorney Maintains His Innocence, No Criminal Charges Pending Against Him, But Faces Possible Disbarment Anyway; Another Title Insurer Left Holding The Bag

In Columbus, Georgia, the Ledger-Enquirer reports:

• The former wife of a prominent Columbus real estate closing attorney pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon in federal court for her role in a scheme to steal more than $2.3 million from her then-husband’s legal trust account.
  
  Sonya Eddings, 51, appeared in front of U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land and freely admitted her role in years of fraud that was discovered in October 2012. [...] Currently living in Pennsylvania, Eddings was released on an unsecured $10,000 bond until sentencing.
  
  The guilty plea comes almost four years after Columbus Bank & Trust Co. alerted Muscogee County Superior Court about shortfalls in attorney Michael Eddings real estate trust account. Since the fraud was discovered, Michael Eddings has maintained his innocence, saying his wife was solely responsible for the missing funds. No criminal charges have been filed against Michael Eddings, though he does face potential disbarment from the Georgia Supreme Court.
  
  The Eddingses have since divorced, and Michael Eddings has remarried.
  
  ***
  At least four times under oath, Sonya Eddings has said that she, as her husband’s office manager, was solely responsible for the thefts from the real estate trust account. She admitted her role during a deposition for a civil case in December 2012, in FBI interviews in 2012 and 2013, and in a Georgia State Bar hearing in April 2013.
  
  ***
  In October 2012, the scheme fell apart when Sonya Eddings was out of town and the law office received a call from a client complaining that a payoff of a mortgage had not been made. Sonya Eddings immediately transferred the money, but by the time she did, First American Title Insurance, which insured their closings, became involved. Auditors were brought into the office, and Sonya Eddings confessed in a written statement.
  
  ***
  First American later sued Michael and Sonya Eddings, all of their restaurant holdings and CB&T in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia. First American and CB&T settled out of court and terms of the deal were not released. In dismissing the case, Land issued a $1.99 million judgment for First American against Michael Eddings and a $2.09 million judgment against Sonya Eddings.
  
  ***
  Eddings continues to practice law in Columbus and Atlanta. A State Bar of Georgia Review Panel recommended earlier this year that Eddings be disbarred for his role in the theft. The recommendation goes to the state Supreme Court, which will make the final ruling.
  

For the story, see Sonya Eddings pleads guilty to stealing $2.3 million in federal court.