The Florida Bar asked the state’s Supreme Court to immediately suspend the license of a well-known Tampa personal injury lawyer accused of keeping his clients’ settlement money.
Attorney Jose Toledo “is likely to cause immediate and serious harm” to clients and the public, the Florida Bar wrote in a new court filing asking that Toledo be ordered to stop practicing law, no longer accept new clients and not withdraw any settlement money.
RELATED: Tampa lawyer faces law license suspension after clients accuse him of taking money
Taking action reporter Jackie Callaway first reported complaints against Jose Toledo in September after eight former clients filed complaints about Toledo with the Florida Bar. The number of complaints against Toledo has now climbed to 31 – including former clients and one medical provider, the Florida Bar said in its court filing.
The Florida Bar is also accusing Toledo of abandoning his practice without telling clients.
Earlier this month we found an eviction notice at Toledo’s office where he advertised as "su abogado hispano" or “your Hispanic attorney.”
The Florida Bar says its investigator has been trying to get in touch with Toledo since the beginning of August without any luck.
The Florida Supreme Court is expected to rule on the request to suspend Toledo’s license later this week.
