Title: Disciplinary Counsel v. Bustamante

State: ohio

Issuer: Ohio Supreme Court

Document:

Office of Disciplinary Counsel v. Bustamante. 
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[Cite as Disciplinary Counsel v. Bustamante (1997), ____Ohio St.3d_____.] 
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Attorneys at law -- Misconduct -- Reciprocal discipline -- Indefinite 
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suspension with permission to apply for readmission after 
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November 18, 1998 if readmitted to the practice of law in 
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Florida -- Conviction of participating in a scheme to defraud 
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and to obtain money from an insurance company by means of 
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false 
and 
fraudalent 
pretenses, 
representations, 
and 
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promises. 
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(No. 96-1977 -- Submitted December 11, 1996 -- Decided March 26, 
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1997.) 
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ON CERTIFIED ORDER of the Supreme Court of Florida, No. 82, 884. 
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This cause is pending before the Supreme Court of Ohio in 
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accordance with the reciprocal discipline provisions of Gov.Bar R. 
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V(11)(F). 
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On June 11, 1993, respondent, John Henry Bustamante of Cleveland, 
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Ohio, Attorney Registration No. 0009679, was found guilty in federal 
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district court of  participating in a scheme to defraud and to obtain money 
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from an insurance company by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, 
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representations, and promises.  Respondent’s representations caused an 
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2
insurance company to loan him $725,000 and to loan $2,600,000 to a land 
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development company.  Both loans went into default, but respondent was 
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enriched by $269,000. 
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As a result of respondent’s felony conviction, we indefinitely 
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suspended respondent on July 29, 1993 from the practice of law in Ohio.  In 
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re Bustamante (1993), 67 Ohio St.3d 1416, 616 N.E. 2d 244. 
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Effective November 18, 1993, based on respondent’s felony 
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conviction, the Supreme Court of Florida suspended respondent from the 
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practice of law in that state.  The Florida Bar v. Bustamante (1993), 629 
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So.2d 135.  That court referred the matter of respondent’s actions to a 
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referee to determine whether respondent had violated any of the Rules 
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Regulating the Florida Bar.  As a result of those proceedings, the respondent 
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was disbarred in the state of Florida. The Florida Bar v. Bustamante (1995), 
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662 So.2d 687. This latter decision was transmitted to us by relator, Office 
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of Disciplinary Counsel,  as required by Gov.Bar R. V(11)(F), and we 
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issued an order to show cause. 
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Respondent’s former counsel filed a “Response to Order to Show 
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Cause,” and respondent then retained new counsel who filed a “Notice of  
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Filing of Rules.” 
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______________________________________ 
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Geoffrey Stern, Disciplinary Counsel, and Sally Ann Steuk, Assistant 
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Disciplinary Counsel, for relator. 
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Donald C. Brey, for respondent. 
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______________________________________ 
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Per Curiam.  Gov.Bar R. V(11)(F)(4) states that when an attorney is 
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disciplined in another jurisdiction, this court “shall impose the identical or 
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comparable discipline imposed in the other jurisdiction, unless the attorney 
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proves * * * (b) [t]hat the misconduct established warrants substantially 
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different discipline in Ohio.” 
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As both respondent’s former counsel and present counsel point out in 
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their respective filings, a disbarment under Florida State Bar Rule 3-5.1(f) 
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permits the respondent to apply for readmission at any time after November 
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18, 1998, five years from the effective date of his Florida disbarment. In 
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contrast, disbarment under Ohio’s Gov.Bar R. V6)(C) would bar respondent 
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from ever being readmitted to the practice of law in Ohio.  Thus, a Florida 
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“disbarment” is comparable to an Ohio “indefinite suspension.” 
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Therefore, respondent is indefinitely suspended from the practice of 
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law in Ohio with permission to apply for readmission after November 18, 
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1998, if he has been readmitted to the practice of law in Florida.  Costs 
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taxed to respondent. 
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Judgment accordingly. 
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DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and 
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LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur. 
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MOYER, C.J., not participating. 
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