Long-time Niagara Falls Attorney Jailed for Stealing from Clients

A former prominent Niagara Falls lawyer is now behind bars after being sentenced Wednesday for stealing more than $169,000 from clients over several years.

Robert Koryl, 69, of Youngstown, was taken into custody at the Niagara County Courthouse in Lockport following his sentencing by Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes.

Koryl received a six-month jail sentence and five years of probation for his crimes. In addition to his incarceration, he must repay the full amount stolen from his clients and will lose his law license.

Koryl had previously been granted interim probation to allow him time to repay the victims. However, prosecutors reported he had made little to no progress toward restitution. As a result, the court moved forward with sentencing.

In August, Koryl accepted a plea agreement in which he admitted guilt to two felony counts of third-degree grand larceny and two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny. The charges stemmed from his improper use of client funds that were entrusted to him and meant to be held in an attorney trust account.

Initially, a Niagara County grand jury had indicted Koryl on six charges, including first-degree scheme to defraud and second-degree grand larceny. He pleaded not guilty to those counts before reaching the plea deal.

Though he had been free without bail in the lead-up to his sentencing, Koryl was handcuffed and led from the courtroom to begin serving his time.

A dramatic fall for a man once considered a fixture of the local legal community.

Long-time Niagara Falls Attorney Jailed for Stealing from Clients