Former Belleville attorney sentenced to prison for stealing from clients

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a former Belleville attorney to spend 90 months in federal prison after he admitted to embezzling more than $1 million from his clients.

Jason R. Caraway, 51, pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud in February. He was sentenced on Oct. 1.

“This lawyer didn’t just steal—he preyed on clients who trusted him to fight for them after suffering life-altering injuries,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “He pocketed their settlements, grabbed money intended to pay doctors, falsified court records, and even defrauded the children of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Attorneys must be held to account when they fail to honor their duty to serve as officers of the court. This sentence rightly delivers justice for his victims.” 

Caraway was a partner at Caraway, Fisher & Broombaugh, P.C., a personal injury law firm in Belleville. According to court documents, Caraway had control of the firm’s bank accounts and misappropriated funds by improperly spending client funds on personal and business expenses, issuing checks to himself, accepting settlements without client notification or payment, failing to pay medical lienholders from legal proceeds, and misapplying retainers without authorization.

The investigation identified more than 40 clients that were impacted and a loss of more than $1 million. To help facilitate his theft, he also forged the signatures of St. Clair County judges on two court orders.

"The actions of Mr. Caraway, which involves stealing from his clients, including child beneficiaries, are reprehensible" said FBI Springfield's Special Agent in Charge, Christopher J. S. Johnson. "FBI Springfield believes this guilty plea offers a measure of peace to the victims and hopes this can restore trust in the justice system."

Caraway represented two children of Ricardo Davis, a Washington Park Police officer who was killed in the line of duty after a tragic accident in 2018. He obtained more than $128,000 for their benefit that was never disbursed to them. Thanks to the ARDC Client Protection Program, the beneficiaries were paid after years of waiting.

FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.