Mitch Kossoff, a former attorney who was sentenced in 2022 for stealing clients’ funds, is scheduled for a parole hearing later this month. The hearing will take place during the week of September 29.
Kossoff, 71, is seeking early release through New York’s merit time program. According to a spokesperson from 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 served just over three years of his sentence at Groveland Correctional Facility in Soneya. His sentence carries a minimum term of 4.5 years and a maximum of 13.5 years, making him eligible for parole no earlier than November 2026. The parole board will decide within two weeks after the hearing.
Neither Kossoff nor his criminal defense attorney responded to requests for comment.
Prior to his conviction, Kossoff represented major residential landlords in New York City as head of Kossoff PLLC. He controlled client escrow accounts with little oversight—a practice that differs from standard procedures at most law firms.
Investigations revealed that Kossoff used client money to cover personal expenses such as credit card bills and apartment costs while also supporting a struggling family business. In spring 2021, he disappeared after several clients requested their escrow funds back, leaving colleagues searching for answers.
Kossoff eventually pleaded guilty to four charges related to theft and fraud, admitting to stealing nearly $15 million from clients.
