TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Boca Raton attorney Steven Ernest Slootsky has been voluntarily disbarred following a Jan. 4 Florida Supreme Court order after his guilty plea in a patient brokering scheme, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"A disciplinary matter pending against Slootsky involved a criminal case in which he pleaded guilty in court to 15 felony counts," the state bar said in its March 27 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order.
The state Supreme Court granted Slootsky's uncontested petition for disciplinary revocation, tantamount to disbarment, with leave to seek readmission after 10 years. Slootsky's disbarment was effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow him time to close out his practice and protect the interests of his existing clients, according to the order. Slootsky also was ordered to pay $1,250 in costs.
The state Supreme Court's two-page order is not final until time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion would not alter the effective date of the Slootsky's disbarment.
Attorneys disbarred in the state usually cannot reapply for admission for five years. Then they must pass tan extensive process that includes a rigorous background check and retaking the bar exam.
Slootsky was admitted to the bar in Florida on Sept. 12, 1985, according to his profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on Slootsky's state bar profile.
Slootsky was one of five Florida attorneys and five alleged accomplices arrested in September as part of a Broward County sheriff investigation into a patient brokering scheme that between May 2015 and December 2016 brought in more than $521,000 in kickbacks, according to a sheriff's department report and a Florida Attorney General's Office news release.
Allegations against those arrested included organized fraud, criminal solicitation and patient brokering, according to the sheriff's department report.
Other attorneys arrested were Adam Hurtig of Fort Lauderdale, Alexander Kapetan of Lighthouse Point, Vincent Pravato of Davie and Mark Mayer Spatz of Fort Lauderdale, according to the sheriff's report and the attorney general's news release.