HAUPPAUGE, NY – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that former Huntington attorney Daphna Zekaria, 56, of Syosset, has been sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation after admitting she stole nearly $400,000 from multiple clients by misusing money entrusted to her in attorney escrow accounts.
Zekaria pleaded guilty in May 2025 to multiple felony charges, including two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, after prosecutors said she diverted client funds for personal and business expenses instead of safeguarding the money as required by law.
“Attorneys are held to a higher ethical standard than the rest of society, and for good reason,” District Attorney Tierney said in a statement. “This defendant didn’t just steal money; she abused her position of trust as an attorney and the legal system itself. Her actions deserve a serious penalty.”
According to prosecutors, one victim hired Zekaria in 2021 to represent her in a divorce and oversee the sale of her marital home. After receiving approximately $150,000 in sale proceeds that were supposed to remain in escrow until the divorce was finalized, Zekaria instead spent the funds on personal and business expenses.
In a separate case, a New York State Lottery winner retained Zekaria to safeguard and invest portions of his money. Prosecutors said she accepted a total of $230,000 through three separate transactions but neither held the funds in escrow nor invested them as promised. Instead, the money was used to facilitate transfers and other expenditures.
Authorities also said that in 2023, Zekaria accepted $17,500 from an elderly Manhattan woman to challenge eviction proceedings but performed no legal work. When the client requested a refund less than two weeks later, prosecutors said the money had already been spent on utility bills and credit card payments.
As part of her plea agreement, Zekaria admitted to:
- Two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree
- One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree
- One count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree
- One count of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree
Before sentencing, Zekaria repaid $373,500 in restitution to the Lawyers Fund for Client Protection. On July 17, 2026, she was sentenced to six months in jail followed by five years of probation.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Daphna Zekaria, 56, of Syosset, former partner at Sokolski and Zekaria, P.C. in Huntington |
| Sentence | Six months in jail and five years of probation |
| Sentencing Date | July 17, 2026 |
| Amount Stolen | Nearly $400,000 from multiple clients |
| Restitution Paid | $373,500 to the Lawyers Fund for Client Protection |
| Primary Charges | Two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree |
| Plea Date | May 21, 2025 |
| First Victim | Divorcing client whose approximately $150,000 in home sale proceeds were misused instead of being held in escrow |
| Second Victim | New York State Lottery winner who entrusted Zekaria with $230,000 for escrow and investment purposes |
| Third Victim | Elderly Manhattan woman who paid $17,500 for legal representation that was never provided |
| Lead Prosecutor | Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney |
| Court | Suffolk County Supreme Court before Justice Richard Ambro |
| Case Summary | Prosecutors said Zekaria abused her position as an attorney by diverting client escrow funds to cover personal and business expenses rather than safeguarding the money as required by law. |
The case was prosecuted by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
