NEWARK, NJ – James R. Lisa, a 68-year-old attorney from Jersey City, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for a series of financial and identity theft offenses, as announced by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court.
Lisa had earlier pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, obstructing the IRS, and failing to file an individual income tax return, as well as committing wire fraud while on pretrial release. The charges stem from Lisa defrauding clients of over $2 million, among other violations.
According to court documents, Lisa was hired in 2014 by a family to assist with repatriating funds from offshore accounts and resolving related tax issues. Despite successfully returning over $6 million to the U.S. in 2015, Lisa misled the family by claiming the funds remained offshore and provided only $4 million, falsely stating the rest was out of his reach. Furthermore, he deceived the family with fabricated IRS agreements in 2016 and 2018, indicating nonexistent settlements for taxes and penalties. These fraudulent actions came to light when the IRS audited a family member, leading to the exposure of Lisa’s false documents.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger condemned Lisa’s actions, highlighting the violation of his oath as a legal officer and the betrayal of client trust. Lisa’s sentencing reflects the severity of his multiple criminal offenses.