Christopher Reese, also known as Christopher Eugene Thomas, has been found guilty by a jury for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme that defrauded criminal defendants and their families out of significant sums for unlicensed legal services. Reese, who is not a lawyer, falsely promised legal outcomes he could not deliver.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky commented on the case: “Christopher Reese committed fraud through his bogus legal practice. He promised his victims that he would get their family members out of prison when he knew he had no way to guarantee that outcome, and induced them into paying him for legal services he knew he wasn’t authorized to provide. As a unanimous jury has now found, Reese’s promises were lies designed to enrich Reese at the expense of his victims. Running an unlicensed law business is a crime, and Reese now faces serious federal prison time for his fraudulent conduct.”
Reese's scam targeted federal inmates and their families by promising favorable results in criminal cases in exchange for large fees. He posed as a "legal assistant" or "paralegal," offering services only lawyers are authorized to provide without supervision from licensed attorneys. His operation included drafting and submitting legal filings in federal courts.
Reese charged thousands per filing with promises of immediate release based on motions he filed. Even when offering refunds if unsuccessful, Reese kept the money after failing to deliver results. The unauthorized practice involved filing motions and briefs in cases within the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Additionally, while under supervised release related to another federal case during this scheme, Reese made false statements to avoid paying restitution owed from previous crimes and laundered fraud proceeds through financial transactions with co-conspirators.
Reese was convicted on several charges: wire fraud (maximum 20 years), unauthorized practice of law in a federal enclave (maximum four years), making false statements (maximum five years), and conspiracy to commit money laundering (maximum 20 years). He was acquitted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The maximum potential sentences are set by Congress but will ultimately be determined by a judge at sentencing scheduled for June 26, 2025.
Mr. Podolsky acknowledged the efforts of Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involved in this investigation.
The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz, Kingdar Prussien, and James McMahon from the Office’s White Plains Division.
