A former lawyer from Rockville has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for three fraud schemes totaling $4.2 million in losses with 21 victims, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office (MCSAO).
Sari Kurland, 65, is also ordered to pay the money back in restitution.
She pleaded guilty in January to one count of theft in a scheme involving $100,000 and 15 counts of misappropriation by a fiduciary, according to MCSAO.
She owned Kurland Law Group, according to online sites, and had an office in Rockville which is now closed.
Her law license was active in Maryland through January 2024, according to the state’s attorney’s office.
“This defendant occupied a position of trust as an attorney and fiduciary. She betrayed that trust, along with her professional responsibility, by mishandling millions of dollars entrusted to her by clients and investors. We commend the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission and the State’s Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division for their diligent investigation and their commitment to holding the defendant accountable,” said John McCarthy, Montgomery County State’s Attorney , in a statement.
An investigation determined that Kurland led the theft and misappropriation of funds schemes between May 2022 and September 2024, according to MCSAO.
In the first scheme, she solicited loans to facilitate what prosecutors described as a “so-called Middle Eastern petroleum deal” involving 18 total victims, according to the state’s attorney’s office. The second scheme involved “cryptocurrency transactions” with two victims. The third scheme involved settlement negotiations related to COVID-19 business struggles, and had one known victim.
