Tacoma Attorney With History of Misconduct Surrenders License After Raiding Client Funds for Gym Memberships and Amazon Purchases

A Washington attorney has surrendered his law license rather than face public disciplinary hearings, this time over allegations of treating his client trust account like a personal ATM.

Hari L. Alipuria, a Tacoma-based attorney licensed since 1997, permanently resigned from the Washington State Bar Association in lieu of discipline on February 5, 2026.

The resignation comes after an investigation by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel revealed a multi-year pattern of plundering client funds to cover his personal expenses.

The case raises questions about how an attorney with a past record of disciplinary action was able to operate with zero financial oversight for years.

Client Funds Diverted to Amazon and HOA Dues

According to the Statement of Alleged Misconduct filed by the ODC, Alipuria maintained a trust account at U.S. Bank ending in 1174, ostensibly for the safekeeping of client funds. Under WSBA rules, these accounts must be strictly segregated from personal finances, and attorneys are required to maintain detailed check registers, individual client ledgers, and perform monthly reconciliations.

Alipuria did none of these things.

Between January 2022 and October 2024, the ODC alleges Alipuria routinely used and converted client funds for his personal use. The list of personal expenses covered by client money is staggering:

• Monthly office rent
• HOA Dues
• A gym membership
• Telephone and internet bills
• Purchases from Amazon

In addition to these specific expenditures, Alipuria made multiple unexplained cash withdrawals directly from the trust account and illegally co-mingled his own personal funds with those of his clients.

A Cover-Up Under Oath

The financial mismanagement was compounded by what investigators describe as an active cover-up.

When subpoenaed for a deposition on March 13, 2024, Alipuria provided false testimony under oath. He falsely testified that he maintained complete trust account records. He also lied about the nature of the disbursements, testifying that the funds spent on his personal use were actually related to client matters.

The ODC charged him with violating multiple Rules of Professional Conduct, including prohibitions against criminal acts that reflect adversely on a lawyer’s honesty, as well as engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.

A History of Disciplinary Action

This is not Alipuria’s first encounter with the WSBA’s disciplinary board. Records show that in 2004, Alipuria was previously suspended for 90 days for failing to competently and diligently represent a client, and for failing to comply with the terms of an earlier disciplinary stipulation.

Despite this documented history, Alipuria was able to operate a trust account unchecked for nearly three years, quietly draining client funds for routine personal expenses before the WSBA intervened.

Permanent Disbarment Equivalency

Faced with the ODC’s overwhelming evidence, Alipuria chose to fall on his sword. On February 4, 2026, he signed a Resignation in Lieu of Discipline, admitting he was aware of the alleged misconduct and wished to permanently resign rather than defend against the charges.

Under ELC 9.3(b), this resignation is permanent and is treated equivalently to a disbarment. Alipuria is barred from ever reapplying for admission or reinstatement to the practice of law in Washington. Furthermore, he is required to notify all other states where he is admitted, as well as any other professional licensing agencies, of his resignation.

Alipuria agreed to pay $1,500 in expenses related to the disciplinary matter, as well as any additional costs or restitution that may be ordered by a Review Committee.

While Alipuria is now permanently removed from the profession, the case once again highlights the reactive nature of attorney oversight in Washington state. Clients trust the legal system to safeguard their funds during their most vulnerable moments. Yet in Tacoma, that trust bought an attorney his personal gym membership.