A lawyer who was put in charge of a Staten Island cemetery that had been looted by its bookkeeper was busted Monday on charges of continuing the scam and stealing nearly $2 million more.
Timothy Griffin, 54, allegedly made six unauthorized wire transfers from the United Hebrew Cemetery to his attorney escrow account between October 2012 and Jan. 3 — and signed a written confession admitting that he did it to fund his struggling Bronxville law firm, Assistant Attorney General Chin-Ho Cheng said in court.
Griffin, who formerly served as the boneyard’s lawyer, was named acting president by its board following the ouster of ex-president Arthur Friedman and his wife, Ilana, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.
Ilana Friedman pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to probation for embezzling more than $850,000 from the not-for-profit cemetery while working as its bookkeeper.
Authorities said she used the money to fund lavish purchases of jewelry, electronics and restaurant meals, along with $9,000 she spent in Las Vegas while attending cemetery-industry conventions there.
Both she and her hubby also agreed to pay more than $1 million in restitution and were permanently barred from the funeral and cemetery business.
“It’s always sad and shocking when we discover that someone used a charity as their own personal piggy bank,” Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said following Griffin’s arrest.
Scheiderman also said the case “reminds us of the need to remain vigilant and strengthen our oversight” of the state’s nonprofits.
Griffin, who lives in Ridgefield, Conn., pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with seven counts of grand larceny.
If convicted, he faces up to seven years in the slammer.
Staten Island Supreme Court Justice Stephen Rooney set bail at $250,000 cash or $750,000 bond, but ordered Griffin held for at least three days so authorities can investigate the source of whatever funds get posted.
Defense lawyer Mark Geisser said Griffin, the father of six kids, had already agreed to pay back the cemetery’s missing money, and forked over $135,000 on Jan. 14.