Toledo lawyer disbarred after real estate fraud
10/1/2010A Toledo lawyer who spent time in federal prison for his involvement in a fraudulent real estate scheme was permanently disbarred by the Supreme Court of Ohio, the court announced.
Douglas J. Ritson was disbarred “for multiple violations of state attorney discipline rules.” The action was a result of Ritson's involvement in “a criminal conspiracy that induced approximately 3,000 real estate agents and appraisers to join two professional organizations with the false promise that their membership dues purchased errors-and-omissions insurance coverage that did not in fact exist.”
Ritson was criminally charged for his involvement in the multimillion-dollar insurance scheme and pleaded guilty in 2006 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced him Oct. 21, 2008, to one year in prison and ordered him to pay portions of the $3.7 million in restitution.