John Lambert, a North Carolina man accused by federal prosecutors of pretending to be a lawyer and fleecing “clients” who came across his fake law firm Pope & Dunn, has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and could face a sentence of 15 to 21 months behind bars.

Prosecutors accused Lambert of taking at least $16,000 under false pretenses from people who thought they were hiring a lawyer. He pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court Tuesday afternoon to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.