Former LeClairRyan attorney Matson starts 44-month sentence immediately
NOV 22, 2021 | REPUBLISHED BY LIT: NOV 23, 2021
Capping a two-year fall from grace, veteran Richmond attorney Bruce Matson was sentenced on Monday to 44 months in federal prison related to his theft of $4 million of bankruptcy trust funds.
The longtime bankruptcy trustee, who spent most of his nearly four-decade career at now-collapsed LeClairRyan, was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshall Service.
Matson was convicted of and had pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding, due to lies he told to federal officials as they were digging into how money went missing from the bankruptcy estate of Henrico-based title insurance giant LandAmerica during Matson’s time as trustee and ended up in his personal bank accounts.
The punishment was handed down by Judge John Gibney in front of dozens of onlookers, including Matson’s family, friends and fellow church congregants.
So large was the crowd of supporters who showed up for Matson that the judge ordered several additional spillover courtrooms to be opened up to help space people out and maintain social distancing. They were able to view the hearing via a video feed.
Matson was sentenced at the federal courthouse in Richmond.