Personal Injury and Criminal Defense Legal Blog
Financial Adviser Convicted of White-Collar Crime Against 97-Year-Old
According to the Seattle Times, a 97-year-old woman was allegedly taken advantage of by a man whom she entrusted her finances to. Reportedly, the woman experienced a loss of $1.5 million over the course of five years. The man, whom she considered her business consultant, and whom later assumed the role of her personal representative, alleges that the woman authorized him to accept the funds as his own, and that the funds served as payment for his services. The man was recently convicted on one count of first-degree theft, and currently faces up to 90 days in jail. However, due to the special circumstances of this case, namely that he was found guilty of two aggravating offenses (crime against a vulnerable victim and committing major economic offense), the presiding judge could impose a lengthier jail sentence via an exceptional sentence.
One key detail in this case was that the woman was deemed vulnerable due to the fact that she had Alzheimer’s disease. Though the man made his case that any funds he acquired from the woman were legitimate payment for his services, the overall actions that took place were not deemed to have been in the best interest of the woman. Allegedly, the man withdrew money from the woman’s bank accounts and credit cards, and used the funds for his own personal use. Such action would certainly fall in line with said funds being considered payment, and not being considered stolen or unearned. In any event, a jury of his peers helped determine that the man was in fact guilty of wrongdoing committed against the elderly woman, and as such serves as yet another example of white-collar crime being committed in Seattle.
White-collar crime is not characterized by violent action. Instead, it is crime committed against a person by another individual or entity, such as a corporation, which can take the form of embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion, or any other action in which an individual is defrauded out of monetary funds or services. Accusations of white-collar crime often are made in response to evidence of such impropriety; however, such evidence cannot always be deemed as truly indicative that any sort of wrongdoing actually took place. Given the aforementioned case, the evidence could have very well pointed to a he-said, she-said type scenario, which could have ultimately labeled the man not guilty of the crime. In any event, retaining the services of a skilled Seattle white collar crimes attorney can be the difference between freedom and prison.
If you have been accused of a white collar crime, please don’t hesitate to contact the criminal defense attorneys at McNeese & Trotksy, PLLC. Our experienced defense attorneys will examine every detail of your arrest and the charges being brought against you, and will build the strongest possible case on your behalf, given the circumstances of your particular situation. If you stand accused, don’t hesitate to call us today at 888-282-6977 for a free consultation.
Source:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009976229_webdash30m.html
