A woman admits to defrauding over 400 New Yorkers by pretending to be a licensed attorney and operating a fake law firm.
Attorney General's Office says Antonia Barrone, also known as Mario Vrendenberg, scammed the money from people to handle administrative parole appeals and other legal matters. She charged thousands of dollars to provide legal services and worked on cases involving people facing criminal charges and for inmates who were denied parole.
Barrone, who used to identify as a man, used multiple names during her scheme. Prosecutors say that victims were affected throughout the state including in the Capital Region.
She faces one and a third to four years in prison.
Photo: Albany County DA's Office