Mitch Kossoff, a former attorney convicted of stealing his clients’ funds, is set to argue for early release from prison later this month. Kossoff, who received a sentence of up to 13.5 years in 2022, will have a parole hearing during the week of September 29.
The 71-year-old is seeking early release through New York’s merit time program. According to a spokesperson for the state Department of Corrections, “Merit time can be granted to incarcerated individuals serving sentences for certain non-violent crimes who have exhibited an acceptable disciplinary history and have achieved significant programmatic benchmarks.”
Kossoff has completed just over three years of his sentence, which includes a minimum term of 4.5 years. He will not be eligible for parole before November 2026.
Efforts to reach Kossoff and his criminal defense attorney for comment were unsuccessful.
He is currently incarcerated at Groveland Correctional Facility in Soneya, located about an hour and a half east of Buffalo. The parole board will decide on his case within two weeks after the hearing.
Before his conviction, Kossoff represented some prominent residential landlords in New York City as head of Kossoff PLLC. He had exclusive control over client escrow accounts—an arrangement that typically involves more oversight at other law firms.
Investigations revealed that Kossoff used client funds for personal expenses such as credit card payments and rent while also trying to support a struggling family business. In spring 2021, he disappeared when several clients requested their escrow money back, leaving colleagues searching for answers.
Kossoff eventually pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and fraud, admitting he stole nearly $15 million from clients.
