NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Supreme Court has suspended a Kansas City area attorney after an audit found that he deposited tens of thousands of dollars from dozens of clients into a personal checking account.
The Kansas City Star reports that last month's suspension order says 78-year-old Allan Bell posed a "substantial threat of irreparable harm."
The order says settlement funds for 40 clients were deposited into Bell's frequently overdrawn personal account. State investigators determined that Bell then acquired high-interest loans that he used to pay not only clients but also office expenses and credit payments.
Bell told The Star that he believed he had treated his clients fairly. He said he couldn't comment on the accusations because he suffers from memory loss and had planned to retire before he was suspended.