Bar Suspends Broward Demo Activist Accused Of Misappropriating $189k
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Democratic activist Nick Steffens has been suspended by the Florida Bar after allegations that he misappropriated $189,109.
Nick Steffens
Steffens, who has been suspended by the Bar in the past, is alleged to have “misappropriated” the money from a trust account intended to satisfy a property lien. Instead of paying off the lien, Steffens is accused of having “utilized said funds for purposes unrelated to the matter for which the funds were intended” by transferring it to his own law firm operating account, according to the petition for the emergency suspension.
He was suspended in an emergency order of the Florida Supreme Court on September 18 and ordered to immediately close his practice.
An outspoken Democrat who has campaigned and publicly supported candidates from his northwest Broward base, Steffens has been a Broward Democratic committeeman. He is one of the small cluster of self-identified “progressives” who opposed Democratic Chair Mitch Ceasar last election.
Steffens was appointed to the Broward County Children’s Services Board and the influential Broward County Planning Council in 2012 by County Commissioner Stacy Ritter, who he campaigned for that same year. He also has been appointed to several city boards in northwest Broward over the years.
“When I first appointed Nick, he was, and I think continues to be, one of the most active and involved young people in North Broward. He has tirelessly worked with other Young Democrats to invigorate the local party. I believe that he brought enthusiasm and a real desire to serve the county and the Planning Council. He has done a good job. He submitted his resignation to me a month ago and told me had serious issues relating to his law practice,” Ritter texted Browardbeat.com. “I accepted his resignation and I wish him well. I am certain he will bounce back.”
The story of Steffens’ suspension was first posted on the website operated by Chaz Stevens.
Steffens record with the Bar and the documents related to his problems can be found linked here. Click on “Yes.”
The Supremes order suspending Steffens is here:
September 30th, 2015 at 9:09 am
He also represented Lisa Aronson didn’t he last year when she ran for county comm(hmm)…
September 30th, 2015 at 9:34 am
This dirtbag took $3k from my husbands when we were going through a child custody battle. We trying going through the court to report him and get out money back but nothing happened. The court didn’t do crap. It’s funny it took this to happen. I still want my $3k back. He had to nerve to contact my husband a few years after to say he was going to give the money back and never did. Last I heard, his wife left him and he was going through a custody battle. Karma is a bitch Nick!! Well deserved ?
FROM BUDDY:
These are allegations only.
September 30th, 2015 at 9:43 am
I am sure he owes a lot of people money. He start my husbands case and took $3k from him. It was only a child custody and child support case that he worked on for 4 years and didn’t don’t ****. He stoles money from us and time with my stepson. The court needs to investigate his pior cases that he was working on and return the money to the victims of this asshole.
September 30th, 2015 at 9:51 am
It’s ashame that the court allowed you to continue your practice and stealing money from people that were trusting you. Trusting you to get them time with their kids. I am so happy that your time has come to an end. I wonder how you feel missing out of your child’s like….
September 30th, 2015 at 10:02 am
This appears to be the third time in the past couple of years Nick has been suspended for improprieties relating to clients and their money — although this one seems to be the most serious —
Allegedly misappropriating almost $200k and then being held in contempt of court and then taking the money from 2 other clients trust funds to address the missing $200k.
Is this theft or embezzlement or both?
Will there be criminal charges too?
FROM BUDDY:
Actually Chaz Stevens has asked the State Attorney’s Office to investigate.
September 30th, 2015 at 10:20 am
The criminal complaint I filed against Steffens can be found on my blog.
In that complaint, I allege Steffens is a thief and assert he’s a blithering idiot.
September 30th, 2015 at 11:10 am
Nick also runs a PAC.
One wonders … was he allegedly shady there also?
I’m on it.
September 30th, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Is this another one of the Cynthia Busch’s “young Democratic activists” we are always hearing about?
September 30th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
Floridians For Ethics, Inc. is the name of Steffen’s PC.
Funny that, coming for a guy who allegedly pinched his client’s money. I guess Floridians For Ponzi Schemes, LLC was already taken by Rothstein.
And if my math is right, looks like they overspent the account (Steffens and Sean Phillippi run the operation).
Between Steffens and Sohn, it’s hard to be a self-respecting liberal these days.
***
From AVVO, their listing for Steffens is marked “Extreme Caution.”
http://imgur.com/DmTw0Xx
September 30th, 2015 at 4:30 pm
Nick Steffens was paid CA$H by Robert McKenzie to have a Robert Smith help develop the website for McKinley Williams County Commission Campaign. Then Robert Smith disappeared and ended up running as Robert “Chris” Smith in the same race. Robert McKenzie deliberately tried to screw McKinley and Senator Smith at the same time so Dale Holeness can win and he can run against Dale in the next four years. FACT!
Robert McKenzie secretly hates Senator Smith and commission Candidate McKinley Williams and is said he was “Killing two birds with one stone at his Fraternity Omega House off Sistrunk ” by splitting McKinley Williams vote and Senator Smith’s Vote.
Robert McKenzie said he will make sure the ONLY person who will ever run against Dale Holeness and beat him is Him and he didn’t want people getting him and McKinley Williams mixed up. Robert Said he already put in 8 years running for County Commissioner and he’s not going to let McKinley Williams or Senator Chris Smith walk into a victory that is reserved for him!
It is going to HIT the FAN!
Robert is an idiot to think that he can pay Nick Steffens Ca$H & think NOONE will find out.
Robert just cut his throat with
Senator Smith, Perry Thurston, and Rosiland Ossgood in terms of TRUST.
This is truly a “HOUSE OF CARDS!”
Robert you have no business in Parkland trying to buy influence. Stay in the Hood or Plantation depending if your the commissioner or the construction dude. Plus since you are always looking in two different directions anyway You should have SEEN this coming out to the public.
Your a backstabber and leaked to Dale’s Camp that Senator Smith has a girlfriend in TAMPA knowing your marital situation is screwed up.
SCUMBAG!
September 30th, 2015 at 9:23 pm
Steffens is a hack and a joke. SO many people in Broward county woke up and read this post with GLEE in their hearts. Good fucking riddance.
September 30th, 2015 at 9:57 pm
I’m a firm believer in kicking a man when he’s down. Knock the fucker out is my motto.
Turns out that Nick’s website contains a whole bunch of content that’s very similar to another local attorney’s efforts.
https://www.myactsofsedition.com/blog/2015/09/30/add-to-nick-steffens-alleged-crimes-plagarism/
October 1st, 2015 at 9:08 am
#10-wow…Whats w/ a lot of them from city employees, to elected officals etc cheating on their spouses….
October 1st, 2015 at 10:22 am
“I accepted his resignation and I wish him well. I am certain he will bounce back.” – Translation: “I appointed him despite all the crooked things he did the the past. This crooked thing is of a larger magnitude of his past misdeeds, so he has to resign. Once this blows over I will put him back into a position of public trust.”
October 1st, 2015 at 11:17 am
I really wish people who think about governmental issues and political philosophy instead of all this personal stuff. I think people’s private lives are that, PRIVATE! I would even say that comments about things OTHER THAN THE SUBJECT OF ONE OF MR NEVIN’s ARTICLES or a GUEST COLUMN are tacky, and an imposition for those of us interested in public affairs and reading a blog by a professional reporter, of which we have too few.
October 2nd, 2015 at 9:25 am
#15. Sick of people bringing up personal stuff huh. When you are paid w/ our money ,tax dollars, all bets are off. Tell some of these people go work in th e private sector. Cheat on your spouse all you want. They will not run around city hall or other gov’t bldg. whorin around. Oh if I was married to you (some of you) I would engrave a big A (adultery) and carve it into your forehand(yes)(should have done that to my father(no be an enabler Robert. Mr.Cool well, spilt milk). I have the albility, the resources, and the contacts to hold you down to accomplish this endeavor(you have been warned). Now off to your castle, palace. I would have more respect for you Mr.Count if you showed more interst etc. in finding the Nazi train w/ all the goodies aboard. W/ all your pull, why not????(sic)…..
October 2nd, 2015 at 5:22 pm
Chaz…you’re asking Satz to investigate? Really?
Classic Broward story.
October 2nd, 2015 at 10:30 pm
how does a guy like him get good enough LSAT scores to get into Seton, graduate, pass the bar in 2005 and go down in flames in 10 years?
were his votes clean on planning council?
what a moron. he clearly did not value his law license.
October 5th, 2015 at 11:06 am
Unfortunately, this is not a new story. Broward County is replete with examples of “whiz kids” who rise quickly, only to fall to earth in some sort of scandal or criminal act. Quite often the fall is the result of appropriating someone else’s money (temporarily they thought) in order to keep up appearances and run with the big boys.
October 5th, 2015 at 8:50 pm
am Martin Luther Platz, Dresden-Neustadt, Dresden, Freistaat Sachsen,
Even here in the Artists’ Quartier of Dresden-Neustadt we here of the latest BUYOUTS at Tribune Newspapers! At what point are the OVERPAID EXECUTIVES at newspapers going to understand REPORTERS not Executives -Wiz kids or not – are what makes Newspapers great! It’s the CONTENT YOU DORKS! not the payroll that generates sales