Disbarred Hazlet attorney sentenced to 10 years for stealing over $1 million from clients

Posted by
1 min read
January 21, 2025

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.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version