Mitch Kossoff Gets Parole
Mitch Kossoff, the now-disbarred real estate attorney who stole millions from his clients, will get out of prison early after serving a little more than four years.
Kossoff, 72, has been incarcerated at the Groveland Correctional Facility in Western New York since May of 2022 after he was sentenced to up to 13.5 years in prison for stealing more than $14.6 million.
Kossoff went before the parole board in June and was approved for early release, according to a spokesperson for the state Department of Corrections. The reasoning behind the board’s decision was not immediately available.
Craig A. Rothfeld, a consultant who works with prison inmates, sent an email last week saying Kossoff will be released on Tuesday.
“Good afternoon friends and family, Mitch asked that I share with you that he is set to be released this Tuesday, September 22 and will touch base with all of you as soon as practical,” he wrote. “He will have to meet with parole within 24-hours which is normal.”
“He again thanks all of you for your love and support.”
Rothefield declined to comment further.
This is at least the second time the disbarred attorney met with the parole board seeking early release. Kossoff went before the board in September of last year, but was denied.
Kossoff was once a powerful attorney who represented some of New York City’s biggest multifamily owners, including major rent-regulated landlords such as Steve Croman of 9300 Realty, Terrence Lowenberg and Todd Cohen’s Icon Realty Management and Larry Gluck’s Stellar Management.
But Kossoff was also in charge of running a struggling family packaging business, and he used stolen funds that he held in escrow for his clients to try and keep the business afloat. His Ponzi-like plan came crashing down in early 2021 when clients demanded their money back, and Kossoff went AWOL.
He eventually turned himself in and a year later pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and three counts of grand larceny.
It’s not clear what Kossoff, who was disbarred in 2022, will do upon his release. But the tangled fraud he left in his wake is still being unpacked.
Albert Togut, the court-appointed trustee overseeing the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of Kossoff’s law firm, has spent the past several years trying to claw back stolen funds. Earlier this month he sued JPMorgan Chase, alleging the bank knew of Kossoff’s theft and did nothing to stop it.
He’s seeking $18.5 million from the bank.
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