Former deputy justice minister accused of stealing over $740,000 from law clients

Former Deputy Minister of JusticeYassinChoukri "abandoned his clients" and Fredericton law practice last September two days after bouncing a pair of cheques to people he was representing in a mortgage foreclosure, the Law Society of New Brunswick disclosed Friday.

In a six-page "notice of complaint," detailing accusations of theft or "misappropriation" from 10 clients between 2010 and 2016, the society formerly chargedChoukriwith a number of professional offences involving more than $740,000 in client money.

The society said Choukri, once one the most senior legal officials in the New Brunswick government, is required to respond to the accusations against himwithin 20 days.

"IfYassinChoukri, Q.C. fails to file a replyYassinChoukriQ.C. shall be deemed to admit all the charges," reads the notice.

First transgression in 2010

According to the document, Choukri's first transgression occurred in August 2010 when he was paid a $1,000 retainer by a man the society refers to only as BB, to assist him with a domestic contract.

No work was done and the money is missing, according to the complaint.

"The $1,000.00 retainer is no longer inYassinChoukri, Q.C.'s trust account and cannot be accounted for," claims the document.

That was a lone incident until July 2014, when the society saidChoukrifailed to forward $11,500 in court costs to a company he represented that had been successful in an undisclosed action.

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Six months latermore serious trouble began.

In January 2015 the society saidChoukrireceived a $250,000 payment for a client, which it calls Company X, as settlement for a 14 year old Bathurst fire in which the building had been a total loss.

"Company X never received any of the settlement funds," read the complaint.

"YassinChoukri, Q.C. therefore misappropriated $250,000 from his client."

Several thefts in 2016

Following that incident nothing happened for over a year until the spring and summer of 2016, when the law society saidChoukristole from six clients, one after the other.

OnMay 19, according to the complaint Choukriwas paid $150,000 by an insurance company to settle a car accident claim for a woman he represented.

She was never paid.

OnMay 31,Choukrithen received the second of two cheques to settle a $30,000 slip-and-fall claim for another client.

He also was never paid.

One month later,on June 29, a company that finances lawsuits Company W according to the complaint sentChoukri$200,000 to help pay expenses for a group of his clients engaged in ongoing litigation.

'YassinChoukri, Q.C. used the monies ... to cover trust account overdrafts and none of the loan monies were used to benefit his clients.'- New Brunswick Law Society

The society saidChoukriused the money to settle some of his own mounting financial problems instead.

"YassinChoukri, Q.C. used the monies ... to cover trust account overdrafts and none of the loan monies were used to benefit his clients.YassinChoukri, Q.C. therefore misled Company W and he misappropriated $200,000.00," the charge said.

Fled province last year

The law society said there were two final thefts in September 2016 beforeChoukrifled the province.

OnSept.8,Choukrireceived a cheque for $45,000 for a woman to settle her four-year-old car accident claim but then forwarded her no money.

Finally, onSept. 9,Choukrireceived $50,295.88 to settle a mortgage default on a Fredericton building.

The money was meant for three clients and althoughChoukriwrote two cheques to pay the group onSept.27 one for $5,000 and one for $44,440.38 both bounced.

The law society saidChoukridisappearedtwo days later.

"On or about September 29, 2016,YassinChoukri, Q.C. abandoned his clients and his practice as he left New Brunswick without advising his law associates, his clients or his family of his departure," said the document.

Gambling issues

In total, the accusations list $742,795.88 in payments that are now missing, althoughChoukriwould have been entitled to a small amount of that as his fee for working on the various cases.

'Mr. Stephenson also informed me thatYassinChoukriregularly gambles and thatYassinChoukriinformed him that he receives complimentary rooms and meals at Casino Moncton.'- Shirley MacLeanaffidavit, law society official

The complaint mentions nothing about accusationsChoukrihad a gambling problem, but last year in an affidavit filed in court during the fallout from Choukri's abandonment of his practice, law society official Shirley MacLean said William Stephenson, who practised law in the same firm asChoukri, told her that was an issue.

"Mr. Stephenson also informed me thatYassinChoukriregularly gambles and thatYassinChoukriinformed him that he receives complimentary rooms and meals at Casino Moncton," the affidavit said.

Deputy minister of justice

Choukriwas once a law partner of former premier Bernard Lord and served as the chief of staff in Lord's office before being appointed deputy minister of justice in 2003.

Choukrileft the government position after Lord's Progressive Conservatives lost the 2006election, but he retained ties with the party for some time.

In 2010, the Progressive Conservative government of David AlwardappointedChoukrias the public intervener for hearings before the Energy and Utilities Board.

Choukri was suspended from the law society in January pending resolution of the complaints against him.

But on Friday,the law society disclosed he still managed to withdraw $21,658 from his trust account "commencing onFebruary 28," weeks after the suspension took effect.

In May, the law society announced that every practising lawyer in New Brunswick may have to pay up to $400 each to reimburse Choukri's clients.