FBI charges S.A. 'DWI Dude' lawyer in alleged plot that scammed $1.2 million from clients

Jamie Balagia, a San Antonio lawyer known as the "DWI Dude" and "420 Dude," has been charged by the FBI with conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice in an alleged plot that scammed about $1.2 million from Colombian clients. less Jamie Balagia, a San Antonio lawyer known as the "DWI Dude" and "420 Dude," has been charged by the FBI with conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice in an alleged plot that scammed ... more Photo: Courtesy Photo: Courtesy Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close FBI charges S.A. 'DWI Dude' lawyer in alleged plot that scammed $1.2 million from clients 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

The San Antonio lawyer known as the "DWI Dude" and "420 Dude" for his defense of clients charged with drunken-driving or marijuana possession has been charged by the FBI with conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice in an alleged plot that scammed about $1.2 million from Colombian clients.

Jamie Balagia, a former Austin cop who ran for Texas Attorney General in 2014, was arrested late last week in McKinney, near Dallas, and is being held without bond near there pending a bail hearing Thursday.

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He's accused, with an investigator and a South American lawyer, of trying to get up to $2 million out of the clients by allegedly telling them that some of the money would be used to bribe judges and prosecutors in their drug cases. Officials said no one was bribed.

Balagia, 56, who is appointed to defend clients here in federal court, ran into legal trouble himself two years ago when the State Bar's disciplinary arm sued him for misconduct over allegations that he improperly kept $50,000 from a pair of clients in Amarillo.

gcontreras@express-news.net