A Hudson Valley accountant is accused of selling $40,000 worth of a client’s stocks, taking the money from the sale and opening up credit cards in his client’s name.

On Friday, New York State Police from Poughkeepsie charged 49-year-old Max N. Sandmeier from Walden for grand larceny, identity theft and falsifying business records, all felonies.

In October of 2016, troopers were contacted by a Millbrook man who reported the larceny of $40,000.00 in stocks. An investigation determined that Sandmeier, the victim’s accountant, traded the victim’s stocks and kept the money from the sale, police say.

As authorities investigated further, Sandmeier is also accused of using his client’s social security number to open up card cards.

Sandmeier was arraigned in the Town of Stanford Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $7,500 cash bail or $15,000 bond. He is due to appear in the Town of Washington Court on Monday.

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