By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — An attorney who had most recently practiced out of an office at 255 Main St., Pawtucket, was suspended earlier this month for alleged misconduct.

Upon the petition of its chief disciplinary counsel, the Rhode Island Supreme Court on Oct. 9 suspended attorney Benjamin Wyzansky, of Woonsocket, from the practice of law, according to a news advisory from the Rhode Island Judiciary.
In his petition, Chief Disciplinary Counsel David D. Curtin alleged that Wyzansky “engaged in serious professional misconduct.” Wyzansky was notified that the petition would be heard by the court in conference on Oct. 9, but he did not file an objection or appear for the hearing, said Curtin.
The court ordered Curtain to take possession of Wyzansky’s client files and accounts, to inventory them and take whatever steps necessary to protect the interest of clients. The court further authorized Curtain to enter Wyzansky’s law office to carry out the order.
Wyzansky is named as a defendant in a civil matter on the business calendar in Providence County Superior Court. A hearing is scheduled Oct. 22 before Associate Justice Michael A. Silverstein. The plaintiff in that case is First American Title Insurance Co.
According to Curtain, the case centers around an alleged misappropriation of funds by Wyzanski as related to his work as a settlement agent on a mortgage refinancing for a client in Massachusetts. In the case, $360,000 was being borrowed, and at one point, Wyzansky was given a check for $357,867.34 that was supposed to be used to pay off the excess mortgage.
It is alleged that Wyzanski took the money, and made a few mortgage payments, but failed to pay the loan as instructed, Curtain said. Instead, it appears that Wyzansky loaned the money to another man, identified in court records as Mario Perretta, at a rate of 15 percent.
While this was the main incident that prompted Wyzansky’s suspension, Curtain said that he additionally has three criminal charges pending against him for allegedly passing fraudulent checks in his association with Perretta. The sum of money involved totals approximately $100,000, said Curtain.