Judgment (disbarment) entered by Justice Georges on June 26.

Byline: Mass. Lawyers Weekly Staff

SJC No. 2022-080

In re: Benjamin Tariri

P.O. Box 961573

Boston, MA 02196

Judgment (disbarment) entered by Justice Georges on June 26, 2023

The respondent was found in contempt of an order of temporary suspension and incarcerated. He was later disbarred after filing a consent to disbarment.

Summary

On or about Aug. 23, 2022, bar counsel filed a four-count First Amended Petition for Discipline against the respondent. Counts One through Three alleged in part that the respondent was entrusted with client funds in connection with three separate residential real estate transactions; that he intentionally misused a substantial portion of the funds in each case by transferring them from his IOLTA account to his operating account and using them to pay his own business and personal expenses, including approximately $100,000 in lottery tickets; and that he made misrepresentations to conceal his misuse. In each case, the respondent later borrowed funds to repay the amount he had misused. Count Four alleged that the respondent made cash withdrawals from his IOLTA account. The First Amended Petition charged violations of Mass. R. Prof. C. 1.3, 1.5(b), 1.7, 1.15(b), 1.15(c), 1.15(e), 1.15(f), 4.2, 8.4(c) and 8.4(h).

On Nov. 21, 2022, bar counsel moved for temporary suspension of the respondent's license based on the allegations of the First Amended Petition and additional matters. The Court issued an Order of Temporary Suspension on Dec. 19, 2022. The respondent appealed his temporary suspension to the full bench of the Supreme Judicial Court, which affirmed in Matter of Tariri, 492 Mass...