Steven Serio Explores Increasing Wire Transfer Fraud in High-Dollar Real Estate Closing Transactions for Biz New Orleans

Fishman Haygood partner Steven Serio’s article, “Real Estate Attorneys Beware: High-Dollar Transactions are Riskier Than Ever,” was published in the October 2025 issue of Biz New Orleans magazine. With wire transfer fraud increasing at an alarming rate, Steven uses a real-life scenario to demonstrate why real estate attorneys, especially those handling high-dollar closing transactions, should stop thinking they will never fall prey to scammers and learn how to anticipate their fraudulent techniques instead. Noting that there is no foolproof way to avoid fraud, he also provides several precautionary measures that attorneys might take to lessen their chances of being duped. Read the full article here.

Steven’s practice includes all aspects of real estate development—acquisitions and sales of commercial retail properties, office buildings, apartment complexes, mixed-use town centers, and industrial properties; leasing; condominium development; and commercial loan transactions. He is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and a member of the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, for which he serves on the Louisiana Government Affairs – State Subcommittee.

Steven is also a licensed title insurance producer and vice president of Commercial Title Agency, L.L.C., Fishman Haygood’s captive title company. Read more about Steven and his practice here.

Fishman Haygood attorneys have been involved in numerous landmark real estate transactions in the areas of commercial developments, commercial and industrial leasing, acquisitions, project finance and syndicated financings. Click to learn about the firm’s Real Estate practice.