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Prosecutor Caught in Love Triangle Gets Disbarred

By William Vogeler, Esq. on January 03, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Love hurts, especially when it costs attorneys their license to practice law.

Tara Lenich knows this from personal experience. She even knew the pain was coming when she forged wiretap orders to spy on her ex-lover.

"I knew my conduct was illegal," Lenich told a federal judge. It was an ill-fated love triangle and fall for the former prosecutor, and it is a reminder that some love stories are tragedies.

Fake Orders

Lenich was an attorney at the Brooklyn District Attorney's Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau -- at least until her felony conviction. That resulted in an automatic disbarment.

The case against her was over almost as fast. One week earlier, she was charged with two counts of illegal interception of communications.

In court, she pleaded guilty and admitted that she had forged documents to illegally wiretap the phones of another attorney and a detective. That went on for nearly 16 months, as she cut-and-pasted judges' signatures to create the fake orders.

"I'd just like to apologize and say I'm so sorry for my actions and for everyone that they affected," she said.

Tragedy in Law

Lenich, 41, covered up her crimes by lying to colleagues. She told them she was looking into a secret law enforcement probe for her eyes only.

The story unfolded late last year, and she was arrested and fired the the same November day. She faces up to five years on each count.

However, her attorneys are seeking a term under 14 months. They also want house arrest, which would include an electronic monitor.

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