Sarasota lawyer disbarred

May 31-- May 31--A Sarasota lawyer has been disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court after a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation revealed prohibited fees, conflicts of interest and misconduct.

Daniel Marc Plonsky has been a member of the Florida Bar since October 2003. In August 2011, he was hired by Angela L. Shepherd "to act as her attorney-in-fact and health care surrogate, to review her deceased husband's trust documents, and to manage her estate planning and trust affairs," according to a complaint filed by the Florida Bar.

The following month, Plonsky introduced Shepherd to his brother, who he said would provide her financial planning and investment advice.

Over the next two years, Plonsky would move millions of dollars from Shepherd's trust funds to various annuities, where his brother was listed as the agent and made hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions, according to the complaint.

Plonsky placed "his own brother's financial interests before his client's interests," the complaint states.

Plonsky told Shepherd that the charges were for legal fees but did not provide an invoice with details. He also charged her a $5,000 monthly fee without entering into a written agreement with her.

Plonsky was suspended last December and ordered to pay $11,507.60 in fees to his former client.

The website to his firm was not functional as of Thursday.

He was not immediately available for comment, but a recorded message on his office line instructed callers not to leave voicemails.

"Unfortunately, I have been suspended from practicing law for a period of time," Plonksy says in the message. "I'm also not permitted to provide any legal advice or guidance ... It is my continued hope and desire to return to this practice of law in the future."

His voicemail also directs callers to his new CBD shop in downtown Sarasota, Trusted CBD.

Besides the disbarment, Plonsky was also ordered to pay $15,057.97 in recovery costs.

He filed for a rehearing on May 13.

___

(c)2019 Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Fla.

Visit Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Fla. at www.heraldtribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.