An Easthampton attorney is being accused of stealing nearly half-a-million dollars from his clients.
The U.S. Justice Department says Phillip Williams appeared in federal court in Springfield to answer to charges of financial fraud and lying to federal authorities.
The indictment states, Williams maintained an Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account at a Massachusetts bank for the benefit of clients.
Prosecutors say he fraudulently spent over 453-thousand dollars of funds deposited into the account and then didn't report the money on a tax return.