Artful lies, trusting co-workers and lax bank procedures allowed the long-time bookkeeper of a Garden City, N.Y., law firm to loot an escrow account of more than $4.3 million over a two-and-one-half-year period, according to court documents and several interviews with the alleged embezzler’s brother — a partner at the firm.
“Until his confession to no less than four members of the firm, there was never a reason presented to be suspicious,” said Peter J. Galasso, 51, of Galasso Langione & Botter. “[My brother] had worked for us for almost 15 years, had from all perspectives a close and loving relationship with his two children, an intimate relationship with the members and employees of the firm, and was generously compensated for his services.”
