Local
City Attorney And Wife Charged With Fraud
By Jessica Griffiths
Sep 5, 2010 - 7:04:04 PM

SAN FRANCISCO — On Wednesday, August 25, a wealthy couple surrendered to city authorities.  San Francisco attorney Jonathan Dickstein and his wife, Barclay Lynn, face 31 felony counts including insurance fraud, conspiracy and grand theft for defrauding the school district. The couple’s fraud is estimated at around $400,000 now owed to the district and insurers for the treatment of their autistic son.  

Photo of Dickstein, courtesy of Linkedin.

According to court records, the couple created a false company, using it to double-bill the school district between 2006-2008 for services specially tailored for their son’s educational needs. In 2006 “Puzzle Pieces” was created, the false home education company was a way for the couple to charge the school district “reimbursement” for the special services they were providing.

Along with the SFUSD, the couple defrauded Anthem Blue Cross and Dickstein’s former law firm Morrison & Foerster, where he served as a partner. According to a press release issued by the San Francisco District Attorney, the couple told the School District they did not have insurance coverage, when in fact they were also sending the invoices to Blue Cross, the insurance provider for Morrison & Foerster.

The fraud allowed Dickstein and his wife to retain a large amount of money on the side. “Court documents indicate that, by the defendants’ own calculations on spreadsheets seized from their house, the Puzzle Pieces scheme was budgeted as a family profit center and enabled Dickstein and Lynn to pocket an additional $100,000 a year—after 'expenses'— on top of Dickstein’s law partner’s salary.”

The School District and Blue Cross have both stated they would not have paid the money if they’d known the company was a fraud. The couple’s lawyers maintain they have a good defense and have cited the Dickstein’s devotion to their son as the main impetus for their actions.  After leaving Morrison & Foerster, Dickstein went into private practice, specializing in Licensing and Technology Transactions.  Following their surrender, the couple was released on $100,000 bail each and they are currently awaiting trial.