Capital Brief: 33 Months for Padding Bills on Bailout Work

Manhattan lawyer William F. Duker was sentenced in federal court last week to nearly three years in prison for defrauding the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Resolution Trust Corp.

Mr. Duker, former managing partner of the law firm Duker & Barrett, pleaded guilty in August to overbilling the FDIC and RTC of $1.4 million while performing legal work during the savings and loan crisis. He was sentenced Dec. 10 to 33 months in prison starting Feb. 2 and was fined $7,500, according to the FDIC inspector general.

In addition, Mr. Duker paid $2.58 million and his former firm paid $349,000 in restitution and civil damages before sentencing.

From late 1990 to early 1993, Mr. Duker directed his firm's office manager to pad the bills attorneys from his firm submitted to the FDIC and RTC by one to four hours per day, the inspector general said. Mr. Duker later attempted to conceal the scheme by destroying records and pressuring his office manager to lie, the government said.

- Dean Anason

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER