Abakporo was a licensed attorney before he was automatically disbarred as a result of his conviction in this case. See In re Ifeanyichukwu Eric Abakporo, 8 N.Y.S.3d 587 (App. Div. 2015). While "[i]t is well established that a court is ordinarily obligated to afford a special solicitude to pro se litigants," it is also well established that "a lawyer representing himself ordinarily receives no such solicitude at all."
The federal felony of bank fraud has been held to be essentially similar to the New York felonies of grand larceny in the second degree, in violation of Penal Law § 155.40, a class C felony, and scheme to defraud in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law § 190.65, a class E felony (see Matter of Abakporo, 130 A.D.3d 24, 8 N.Y.S.3d 587 ; Matter of Berkowsky, 127 A.D.3d 175, 2 N.Y.S.3d 905 ; Matter of Turner, 121 A.D.3d 313, 991 N.Y.S.2d 330 ).By virtue of her federal felony conviction, the respondent was automatically disbarred and ceased to be an attorney pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4)(a).
The federal felony of bank fraud has been held to be essentially similar to the New York felonies of grand larceny in the second degree, in violation of Penal Law § 155.40, a class C felony, and scheme to defraud in the first degree, in violation of Penal Law § 190.65, a class E felony (see Matter of Abakporo, 130 AD3d 24; Matter of Berkowsky, 127 AD3d 175; Matter of Turner, 121 AD3d 313). By virtue of her federal felony conviction, the respondent was automatically disbarred and ceased to be an attorney pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4)(a).