LOS ANGELES — Attorney Edward Joseph Callow, who practiced law in Seattle and was licensed in California, was disbarred Jan. 6 following his conviction on several felony charges involving theft of his client’s insurance settlement and money laundering.
Callow was charged Dec. 12 along with a former Nationwide Insurance associate Fariborz (Romeo) Rahrovi with theft in the first degree, perjury, money laundering and “obtaining a signature by duress.”
According to a Seattle Post-Intelligencer account, Callow was hired to represent a client in an insurance claim following a car accident that left the client permanently disabled and unable to work. Nationwide Insurance reportedly paid the victim $500,000 including a $25,000 advance. However, the client only received $165,000, and Callow provided Rahrovi with $135,000 for his help in the scheme. Callow took the remaining funds for himself.
The fraud was discovered by Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, who is investigating Callow’s practices further to determine if the attorney swindled any other clients.
Callow will be required to comply with the California Rules of Court Rule 9.20 subsections (a) and (c) in regards to his disbarment. The rules require Callow to notify all of his clients of the ruling, deliver any papers necessary to clients in regards to their cases, return any fees that remain unearned, and alert opposing counsel in any pending litigation of his disbarment. Callow must then file with the clerk of the State Bar Court that he has complied with the provisions of his disbarment.
Callow was admitted to the state bar in 2003.
The State Bar of California was established in 1927 by the state’s legislature and is governed by 19 trustees. The State Bar Court added appointed full-time judges in 1989. Court documents for all State Bar Court of California cases can be located online at calbar.ca.gov.