Lawyer reportedly spent $750,000 intended for client’s purchase of a home

On Long Island, New York, attorney Peter Giattino is indicted for allegedly stealing six figures from a client who hired him for a real estate transaction.

The client, who remains unnamed, hired Giattino to represent him in the purchase of a home in Southampton in June 2025. The client wired Giattino $750,000 for the purchase.

However, in the five months that followed, the lawyer allegedly withdrew the money through official bank checks, ATMs and cash withdrawals for gambling and other personal expenses.

In October, the closing on the Southampton home had fallen through, reportedly at Giattino’s insistence, leading the client to ask the lawyer for the money. However, Giattino had spent the entire $750,000.

“The charges against this defendant reflect a serious betrayal of the trust the victim placed in this attorney in his role as legal advisor and fiduciary,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said in a statement. “The integrity of the attorney-client relationship is fundamental to our society, and this firm will not allow licensed professionals to abuse their positions for personal gain.”

Giattino was charged with grand larceny on Thursday and will appear in court again in April.

Giattino’s attorney, Bob Macedonio, spoken Newsday on Thursdaymaintaining his client’s innocence while preserving Giattino’s long career as a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Office.

“Mr. Giattino is a well-respected attorney in Suffolk County,” he said. “We believe that once we have had the opportunity to review all documentation and continue our discussions with the District Attorney’s office, we will resolve this matter in Mr. Giattino’s favor.”

Newsday said Long Island has been plagued by cases similar to Giattino’s. However, “little to no action has been taken by government officials” outside of the New York State Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection, which helps clients recover stolen money.

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