A Kentucky attorney disbarred after allegedly misappropriating more than $400,000 from the estate of a client has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Brian Allen Logan, 50, of Frankfort, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of wire fraud, bank fraud, identity theft and money laundering.
Logan prepared a will in 2018 for a client who died soon after. The federal court record did not identify the client, but state court records say it was Jack Arnold Estes.
Logan placed a value of $425,000 on Estes’ estate, which included cash and property.
Estes’ will directed that much of the money go to various charities, including the humane societies in Franklin and Woodford counties, the American Cancer Society, a hospice organization and others.
But on 51 occasions between October 218 and August 2023, Logan transferred a total of $239,600 from Estes’ estate to his personal accounts, then used the money for his benefit, according to his plea agreement.
The will Estes signed directed that a piece of property in Frankfort be sold and the money put into his estate to give to charities, but Logan collected rent on it for several years, putting some of the money into Estes’ estate account and some into his own accounts, the plea agreement says.
Logan forged deeds to show, falsely, that the estate had sold the property to a third party who then sold it to a real-estate company Logan had set up.
Logan then applied for a $116,000 loan against the property, using a forged deed to show ownership and a fraudulent lease, according to his plea.
Logan used the loan proceeds for his benefit, the plea says.
A petition filed in February 2024 seeking to have Logan’s law license suspended said he “admittedly misappropriated” $416,475 from Estes’ estate over about five years, according to an order from the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Logan later repaid $75,000 to the estate.
Logan requested to resign from the practice of law under terms of permanent disbarment. The Supreme Court approved that in October.
Logan faces up to 30 years in prison, according to a new release from the U.S. Department of Justice, though his sentence will likely be less under advisory guidelines.
U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove scheduled Logan to be sentenced in March.
