A prominent Manhattan lawyer who has represented thousands of ailing 9/11 responders and survivors — and reaped a fortune in legal fees — was bilked out of $6.6 million by Lisa Schiff, a new lawsuit claims.
Michael Barasch and his wife, real-estate heiress Candace Carmel Barasch, accuse Schiff of spending the millions they foღrked over on her own “lavish lifestyle” and to boost her alleged Ponzi scheme.
The couple gave more than $6.6 million to Schiff “for what they believed were purchases of artwork,” says th🍸e 𝓰suit, filed this week in Manhattan Supreme Court.
“It now appears that much of the funds…was used instead to fund Schiffꦉ’s lavish lifestyle, cover debts owed to other clients, or to consummate art purchases for other clients,” the suit s🐭ays.
Barasch told The Post the case is under criminal𓂃 investigation by both the state Attorney General and the US Attorney’s office.
“My wife has been a patron of the arts for over 25 years,” he said. “She is passionate about helping young emerging artists, galleries, and museums. This fraud touched many, dozens of whom are now seeking justice.”
Barasch is a managing partner at Barasch & McGarry, which boasts it has represented 25,000 people “in the 9/11 community,” and collectedﷺ $3 billion for victims and their families from the federal Victim Compensation Fund.
With the VCF limไiting lawyer payments to🌳 10 percent of awards, the firm has collected an estimated $300 million in fees.
Schiff, who𝐆se , fi🎃led for bankruptcy on May 15, court records show.
Her lawyer, John Cahill, did no👍t im🥂mediately return a request for comment.