Former Memphis Attorney Convicted in Scheme to Defraud Clients

Memphis, TN – Following a four-day trial, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts on all seven counts of the indictment this afternoon of former Memphis Attorney George E. Skouteris, Jr. 56. Acting U.S. Attorney, Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., announced the verdict today.

According to the indictment, between 2007 and March 2013, Skouteris engaged in a scheme to defraud his clients by settling cases without notifying them and forging their endorsements on the settlement checks made jointly payable to him and the client. The indictment alleges that Skouteris then deposited the checks to bank accounts he maintained at TrustOne Bank. Skouteris fraudulently obtained in excess of $250,000 during the scheme.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., on August 19, 2021. Skouteris faces a mandatory maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment, a fine of $1,000,000 and five years supervised release as to each count. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carroll L. André III and David N. Pritchard prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

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