Former N.H. congressional candidate, attorney indicted for swindling money from disabled client

CONCORD, N.H. — A disbarred attorney who once ran for a Democratic congressional seat in New Hampshire has been indicted for swindling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a former client with a traumatic brain injury.

Justin Nadeau, 51, of Rye, is facing 15 indictments charging him with theft by deception, forgery, two counts of financial exploitation of an elderly, disabled, or impaired adult, and 11 felony counts of falsifying physical evidence, Attorney General John Formella said in a statement on Monday.

A Rockingham County Grand Jury returned the indictments against Nadeau, who is scheduled to be arraigned at the Rockingham County Superior Court on Oct. 23.

Police arrested Nadeau on a warrant in Rye on July 31.

The indictments allege that between Aug. 17 and Aug. 22, 2018, Nadeau, then a personal injury lawyer, obtained a $275,000 loan under false pretenses from his client, who had recently suffered a traumatic brain injury. Prosecutors allege that Nadeau failed to disclose a lien, adverse claim, or other legal impediment to a condominium that he encumbered as collateral for that loan.

The indictments allege that Nadeau then obtained a second loan from this same client on Dec. 12, 2018, and “in an effort to perpetrate a fraud on his former client,” he signed his former wife’s signature to a promissory note representing a pecuniary interest.

The indictments also allege that Nadeau subsequently tried to conceal his misconduct from the New Hampshire Attorney Discipline Office, including by fabricating documents, producing false electronic file metadata, and by destroying and/or concealing his computer.

Nadeau previously lost a Democratic bid for New Hampshire’s First District Congressional seat in 2004.

He was disbarred in April by the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s Professional Conduct Committee.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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