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Michael J. McAndrew, 57, of Morrisville, owned and operated Superior Legal Services on Woodbourne Road in Levittown for more than seven years, collecting thousands of dollars in legal fees from clients who thought he was an actual attorney, said Bucks DA Matthew Weintraub Thursday, Dec. 22.
Detectives began investigating McAndrew after receiving a tip from an actual lawyer, the DA said.
The attorney claimed he'd "worked with" McAndrew since June 2021, but quit when he found that his partner was not licensed. During their time together, the lawyer said McAndrew referred him a dozen criminal cases to handle on his own, and that the two co-counseled a trio of civil cases together.
Weintraub says that authorities are now trying to track down the clients in those cases. Two clients from the civil cases have already been interviewed, and both told police that they've already paid McAndrew thousands of dollars for his services, the DA added.
Investigators say McAndrew worked hard to make his alleged ruse seem legitimate. He often identified himself as a licensed attorney by the same name who works for Comcast, and at one time held professional liability insurance under his alias, Michael MacAndrews, detectives wrote.
The "lawyer" remains at large and is wanted on a number of charges related to theft, receiving stolen property, insurance fraud, and practicing law without a license, the DA said.
If you or someone you know may have been victimized by McAndrew — or if you have information that could lead to his arrest — you're asked to contact Bucks County Detective Timothy Johnson at 215-348-6868 or to submit a tip on the Bucks County Crime Watch webpage.
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