Staffer for celeb lawyer in theft bust
Hope she knows a good lawyer.
An office manager for celebrity attorney Joe Tacopina was charged Wednesday with embezzling at least $1 million from the litigator.
Jane Anderson, 35, who worked at Tacopina’s firm for about four years, surrendered to cops around 9 a.m., authorities said.
Sources said the legal heavyweight discovered funds were missing last week when his accountant was doing the firm’s taxes.
They noticed a large amount of money was gone when they had to write a check to the government, sources said.
Tacopina used his crossexamination chops to confront Anderson, who readily admitted to the theft, according to sources.
The lawyer told authorities that from July through February “numerous checks were written out to ‘Jane Anderson’ and wire transfers to ‘Jane Anderson’ ” were sent from accounts Anderson had access to but was not authorized to use.
Anderson did not deny it when asked, according to the criminal complaint.
She was ordered held on $250,000 bail at her arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday.
Anderson was a teller at a PNC Bank before working at Tacopina & Seigel, according to her LinkedIn account. The firm’s New York office is on Madison Ave. at E. 40th St.
Tacopina has represented an all-star client list including rapper Meek Mill, former Yankee Alex Rodriguez and Michael Jackson.
The legal powerhouse declined to comment when reached by phone.