Personal files from late Orlando attorney's office thrown in dumpster

Paperwork includes evictions, medical documents, bank accounts

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando woman is angry after finding out her private information was tossed into a dumpster without being shredded -- and hers wasn't the only information that got treated that way. The files appear to belong to clients of Frank Bartolomeo at The Baldwin Park Law Firm. The attorney passed away last year of cancer, and Wednesday two women were seen dumping files into a neighborhood dumpster.

"We just saw them happen to open their trunk and throw away these boxes of files into the dumpster," said Linda LaMirande, who lives in the Winter Park neighborhood where the documents were discarded.

Inside the dumpster, among the food, flies and foul smell, are files -- eviction paperwork, medical documents and will forms.

"Medical, bank accounts, pay stubs, everything. It's my whole life," said Denise Metzger, a former client of the late attorney.

"I pretty much know everything about you and I just met you," said Local 6's Sheli Muniz when meeting Metzger.

She had no idea her most personal information was sitting in a dumpster, available for anyone to grab.

"This is my life here. If someone gets ahold of this, they can destroy me," said Metzger. "I'd really like to know who is responsible for just throwing this in a dumpster."

While little is known about who did this, it's a treasure trove for thieves who can find out important information about dozens of people.

The law firm has been shut down, but Local 6 called the late attorney's wife. After initially hanging up on us, she said she didn't know anything about the documents.

Local 6 reached out to local law enforcement officials who said they had not received a report, but will investigate to see if there could be any repercussions.


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