According to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, a Florida personal injury lawyer was detained this week for allegedly stealing more than $840,000 from his clients and spending the money on narcotics and the pornographic website OnlyFans.
The 44-year-old Christopher Michael Reynolds is accused of defrauding 16 clients from settlement money and is charged with grand theft and money laundering.
Gualtieri stated on Monday that the man “agreed to represent them in a personal injury case, he recommended doctors for them, he sent monetary demand packages to insurance companies, he forged clients’ names on settlement documents, and he pocketed all the settlement money, leaving people with no compensation for their injuries and bearing the burden for all of their medical expenses.”
In 2015, Reynolds started his own personal injury law practice, specializing in helping victims of auto accidents. After receiving a complaint from one of his victims, who claimed Reynolds abruptly ceased interacting with her, detectives from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office began looking into his company last October.
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The woman’s signature was purportedly forged on settlement papers, and investigators discovered that Reynolds had taken the $100,000 payment intended to cover her medical expenses.
According to Gualtieri, at least 15 additional clients have been discovered as victims of a scam that dates back to 2019.
Reynolds’ financial records were examined, and it came to light that he reportedly spent the money on drugs and pornography.
Gualtieri stated that some of the stolen funds were thought to be used to purchase drugs. According to his bank records, he spent more than $30,000 on the website OnlyFans.
Utilized mostly by sex producers, OnlyFans is a subscription-based social networking site.
In the midst of the investigation, Reynolds’ ability to practice law was suspended in December.
He was charged with 13 charges of grand theft and two counts of money laundering when he was taken into the Pinellas County Prison on Monday.
Reynolds is being detained under a $395k total bond. There was no attorney listed in court records who could speak for him.
