Dolores Catania’s Ex-Husband Frank Catania Gets Disbarred

Dolores Catania Ex Husband

Instagram Pictured: Frank Catania and ex-wife Dolores Catania

On Real Housewives of New Jersey, Dolores Catania and Danielle Staub have not had a smooth relationship. This season, Danielle Staub asks their mutual friend, Teresa Giudice, if she knew that Dolores’ ex-husband, Frank, had gotten disbarred. This sets Dolores off and reignites the animosity between Dolores and Danielle. Dolores told Teresa that she didn’t tell her about the disbarring because they weren’t raised to talk about family issues like that with friends. Teresa understood.

Dolores also told the cameras, “There’s like an unwritten law in Italian culture where you don’t ask someone their personal business. You don’t address the pink elephant in the room. If I choose to share it, that’s my choice. Of course, Danielle missed the memo on that I guess.”

According to Find Law, the Supreme Court of New Jersey disbarred Frank Sr. on November 17, 2017 for “the knowing misappropriation of client and escrow funds” and “conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.” The consequences coming from this ruling are listed as the following:

– Upon being disbarred, his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys.

– Frank was permanently prevented and enjoined from practicing law.

– It was ordered “that all funds, if any, currently existing or hereinafter deposited in any New Jersey financial institution maintained by FRANK CATANIA, JR., pursuant to Rule 1:21-6 be restrained from disbursement except on application to this Court, for good cause shown, and shall be transferred by the financial institution to the Clerk of the Superior Court, who is directed to deposit the funds in the Superior Court Trust Fund pending the further Order of this Court.”

– The information about Frank’s being disbarred was ordered to be in his file as an attorney at law of New Jersey.

– Frank also was to reimburse the Disciplinary Oversight Committee for administrative costs and expenses incurred in the prosecution of this case.

Frank Catania Jr Disbarred

So, what led to all of this? Reality Blurb reported that in 2010, NJ Advance Media, accused Frank of misappropriating client funds after he put one of his client’s funds into a private business account. According to NJ.com, it was alleged that Frank moved $15,000 from a client’s escrow account into his business, Cattino Fitness Corp., and paid $10,000 for legal fees from another account. Frank reportedly said that it took him a while to return the money because of a “delay in remembering the existence of those loans.” Read some of the official court documents in Frank’s disbarment matter here.

According to Reality Blurb, Frank Catania Sr. was admitted to the bar of New Jersey in 1991.

Unfortunately for Frank, his being disbarred for misappropriating a client’s funds isn’t the first time he’s had legal issues. In 1988, Frank was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He pled guilty to this in 1989 and was sentenced to three years of probation.

On the bright side, Frank has other businesses that he can depend on, aside from practicing law. In fact, Earn the Necklace has reported that Frank is the partner of Powerhouse Fitness Franchise, which is owned and operated by his ex-wife, Dolores.