FORMER ANA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FACES HEARING MONDAY

A hearing to determine whether Colorado Springs attorney Christopher Cipoletti should be suspended from practicing law will be held Monday in Denver before a disciplinary judge whose office is affiliated with the Colorado Supreme Court.

The development is the latest in a string of legal actions that have been ongoing since October 2007, when Cipoletti was fired as executive director of the American Numismatic Association, based in Colorado Springs.

The Economic Crimes Division of the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office opened a criminal investigation into Cipoletti several months ago, after the ANA added accusations of theft to a civil lawsuit that names him as a third-party defendant regarding more than $400,000 in unpaid bills owed to a Denver law firm.

A 15-page report the arbitrator issued in May ruled in favor of the ANA, saying Cipoletti not only was not entitled to further compensation but also intentionally stole more than $9,000 from the organization during his employment and breached his fiduciary obligations and duties of loyalty.

The arbitrator cites instances of Cipoletti double-billing private legal clients and the ANA for expenses on trips he took for speaking engagements. The arbitrator also found that Cipoletti was getting paid by the association while doing work for clients of his private legal practice.

In an affidavit on the suspension of his law license, Cipoletti said he voluntarily stopped practicing law in August, after receiving a copy of the complaint the ANA filed with the state's Office of Regulation Counsel.

If Cipoletti's license is suspended, he will face further disciplinary action, said Rob McCallum, spokesman for the State Court Administrator's Office.

The district attorney's office is still investigating whether to file criminal charges, according to senior deputy district attorney Robyn Cafasso.

To read the complete article, see: Springs lawyer facing hearing on license suspension (http://www.gazette.com/articles/springs-62597-colorado-attorney.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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