FREEHOLD, N.J. — A former real estate attorney from Hazlet has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for stealing more than $1.18 million from 60 clients, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Tuesday.

Steven H. Salami, 49, was sentenced on Friday, January 17, by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Christie Bevacqua. In addition to his prison term, Salami was ordered to repay the full amount of stolen funds to the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, which had reimbursed his victims.

An investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Unit revealed that Salami, acting as an attorney, accepted funds from clients for real estate transactions but misappropriated the money. The initial probe identified four victims defrauded out of nearly $300,000 between April and August 2019, uncovering missed closing dates and invalidated transactions. A deeper investigation following his October 2019 arrest revealed dozens more victims, leading to a 63-count indictment in July 2021.

The case faced delays until November 2023, when the Superior Court Appellate Division reinstated two previously dismissed counts of the indictment. Salami pleaded guilty in October 2024 to second-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity.

Prosecutor Santiago emphasized the harm caused by Salami’s actions, which left numerous victims financially stranded. “Justice has been served for the dozens of individuals who placed their trust in this defendant only to be deceived,” Santiago stated.

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