The 43-year-old's conduct is 'appalling' and demonstrated 'an utter lack of honour', said the Court of Three Judges, the highest body that rules on disciplinary cases involving lawyers here.

The court struck Rasif from the rolls in November 2007, but its reasons for the decision were only made public on Jan 30.

Not only did Rasif, a 17-year legal veteran, 'contravene professional rules of conduct, he also flouted every conceivable value which the legal profession stands for', said Justice Andrew Phang.

'What we found most deplorable and saddening was not merely the amount of money that was misappropriated, but also the total lack of values that accompanied (it).

'(Rasif displayed) an utter lack of honour, integrity and honesty. He demonstrated, instead, an appalling greed that caused him to take from others what was lawfully and rightfully theirs.'

Rasif disappeared on June 5 in 2006 and was last seen in Bangkok. His whereabouts are unknown and was a no-show at the hearing which led to him being struck off last November.

In the days before he skipped town, it is believed Rasif went on a shopping spree, snapping up gold, gems and jewellery.

Court papers reveal from May 30 to June 1, 2006, Rasif made a frenzy of large payments, from cheques for $270,000 to telegraphic transfers of over $4 million. The total came to over $10 million.

It was only on June 5, 2006 when employees at his firm, David Rasif & Partners, noticed over $11 million missing from its clients' account.

It turned out that the $10.7 million of that total was entrusted to Rasif by an American couple for the purchase of a bungalow off Holland Road.

An arrest warrant is out for Rasif who has been charged with criminal breach of trust, an offence that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail and a fine, or life imprisonment.

Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.