EAST ST. LOUIS — A former Belleville attorney has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison after admitting to embezzling more than $1 million from his clients, including the children of a fallen police officer.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Jason R. Caraway, 51, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to six counts of wire fraud related to his misappropriation of client funds while practicing at Caraway, Fisher & Broombaugh, P.C., a personal injury law firm in Belleville.
Among those impacted were two children of Ricardo Davis, a Washington Park police officer who died in the line of duty in 2018. Caraway obtained more than $128,000 in settlements for the children that were never distributed. The beneficiaries eventually received payment through the ARDC Client Protection Program.
Court documents state Caraway controlled the firm’s bank accounts and used client funds for personal and business expenses without authorization. He also issued checks to himself, accepted settlements without notifying or paying clients, failed to pay medical lienholders, and forged the signatures of St. Clair County judges on court orders to facilitate the theft.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft condemned Caraway’s conduct, saying, “This lawyer didn’t just steal—he preyed on clients who trusted him to fight for them after suffering life-altering injuries. He pocketed their settlements, grabbed money intended to pay doctors, falsified court records, and even defrauded the children of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Attorneys must be held to account when they fail to honor their duty to serve as officers of the court. This sentence rightly delivers justice for his victims.”
The investigation identified over 40 clients affected by Caraway’s actions, with losses exceeding $1 million.
Christopher J. S. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office, called Caraway’s actions “reprehensible” and said the guilty plea “offers a measure of peace to the victims and hopes this can restore trust in the justice system.”
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.
