Brunswick lawyer accused of swindling client nabbed in Florida

After more than 18 months on the lam from charges of swindling a client, a disbarred Brunswick lawyer’s run from the law ended earlier this month in Volusia County, Fla.

Douglas James Mathis, 57, was arrested June 5 in that county, charged with theft, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and as a fugitive from justice, according to Volusia County Corrections records.

Brunswick police arrested Mathis on Nov. 10 of 2015, charging him with theft by deception for allegedly swindling a client out more than $100,000. Police said the client wired approximately $135,000 to Mathis for payment on a St. Simons Island condominium. Mathis was entrusted to deposit the money into St. Simons Bank & Trust, which held the mortgage on the condominium, police said.

But the transfer of the money never took place, and police said Mathis kept the money. After posting bail from the Glynn County Detention Center later in November of 2015, Mathis fled. He had been sought by authorities since.

The State Bar of Georgia disbarred Mathis in October of 2015.

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