Bail Bondsman Has License Suspended For Referrals

Bail bondsman and attorneys have strict regulations about the ways in which they can refer business to each other. More aptly put, many states prohibit a bonds clients from being referred to a criminal defense attorney and vice versa.

A bail bondsman and a criminal defense attorney in Florida have recently felt the weight of those laws.
Matthew McDowell, a Fort Meyers attorney, had his license suspended for 10 days by the Florida Supreme Court. Alledgedly, he accepted clients recommended by Orin Opperman, who is a bail bondsman in Fort Myers. Mr. Mcdowell was also orderd to pay $1,725 to one of his former clients as restitution in addition to fees assessed by the Florida Bar.

For his part in the referral scheme, the owner of Alpha Omega Bail Bonds had his bail bond license suspended for a year by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Mr. Opperman was also accused of comingling funds between client collateral deposits and his business' operating funds. Mrs. Oppermann, who is also involved in Alpha Omega Bail Bonds had her license suspended for six months for referring clients to Matthew McDowell.
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