Bruce David Bain, a 56-year-old lawyer from Tyler, has been accused of stealing over $200,000 from a client during a divorce proceeding, according to an affidavit detailing the allegations.
The incident came to light on October 17, 2023, when Tyler police received a call from a woman reporting that she had engaged Bain's services to file for divorce but had been deceived out of her rightful share of the marital estate.
The client revealed that following the sale of their house, she and her husband had agreed to split the proceeds evenly. Her portion amounted to $235,551.44, which she alleged Bain placed into a trust account under his firm's name.
Despite repeated assurances from Bain that he had sent her the money via check, the client claimed she never received it. Eventually, Bain informed her that the funds had already been spent, offering her a check she couldn't cash.
Upon investigation, Bain reportedly cited a hold on his bank account as the reason for not returning the money to the client. Subpoenaed bank records revealed a series of transfers from the trust account to two other accounts between February and October, with the trust account balance dwindling to $46.38 by October 2023.
Bain was taken into custody on February 23, 2024, following charges of theft of property ranging between $150,000 and $300,000.
