Lawyer surrenders license in fraud

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Supreme Court accepted the resignation today of John F. Zimmerman Jr., a former Youngstown lawyer, with further disciplinary action pending.
Zimmerman, who voluntarily surrendered his law license, is suspected of defrauding the Youngstown law firm of Manchester, Bennett, Powers & amp; Ullman, where he had been a partner and shareholder since 1974, out of nearly $200,000.
The firm terminated his employment March 31, after discovering the missing money.
Zimmerman has since moved to Naples, Fla.
In a complaint filed on behalf of the Mahoning County Bar Association, Zimmerman is accused of devising various schemes since the middle of 1998 to submit bogus requests for reimbursement for supposedly client-related expenses. The amount would appear on draft statements to clients as expenses advanced on their behalf and the firm would reimburse him personally.