Jim Morrissey, an assistant attorney general with the state of New York, has retired after 19 years in office.
Morrissey, known as the “scourge of scammers” frequently prosecuted debt collectors who engaged in abusive and illegal tactics.
“He is the kind of person that makes us all really proud of the work we do in the Attorney General’s office,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “He is the ‘scourge of scammers’ in Western New York.”
Morrissey was an advocate of victims long before becoming a prosecutor. Before joining the AG’s office, Morrissey co-founded the Western New York Law Center with Joe Kelemen to help individuals take on the U.S. government in a housing discrimination case.
The Buffalo area has long been known as a haven for the bad apples of the collections industry, giving a bad name to the area which is also home to many legitimate collection agencies. Being the top prosecutor in Western new York has given Morrissey ample opportunities to help victims of unscrupulous debt collectors.
