S. Jersey fake lawyer convicted in nationwide legal scam
Leaford George Cameron claimed for more than a decade to be an attorney in state and federal cases, including in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, as well as Jamaica and India.
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A 65-year-old Burlington County man was convicted Tuesday by a federal jury in Philadelphia of posing as a lawyer in a nationwide legal scam that defrauded more than 100 victims.
Leaford George Cameron, of Burlington, claimed for more than a decade to be an attorney in state and federal cases, including in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, as well as Jamaica and India. He falsely asserted that he had a law license issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and used stolen attorney identification numbers of actual lawyers, including an administrative law judge in Washington, D.C.
He posed as a lawyer with the phony law firm of Bernstein, Cameron, Hamilton and Associates. He conducted his scam out of his home.
His victims also suffered from his lack of real legal knowledge. One woman lost her home in a foreclosure case. In some immigration cases, his victims were ordered removed from the United States.
Cameron, who was found guilty of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of making false statements, was scheduled to be sentenced May 31 by U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter. Cameron faces a maximum 75 years in prison, prosecutors said.