Friday, August 15, 2008

Minister Indicted

Cops: He took $200,000 from incapacitated
A Presbyterian minister who oversaw the financial affairs of incapacitated individuals and was later accused of stealing their money has been ordered to surrender his license to practice social work.

In 2006, the Rev. Brian C. Swedberg, 53, of Toms River was indicted on 17 counts of theft, three counts of false swearing, two counts of contempt of court and one count of misapplication of entrusted property.

Authorities have said Swedberg stole more than $200,000 from 20 people whose financial affairs he was appointed to oversee.

Of those people, 19 were incapacitated senior citizens, and one was a juvenile over whose trust fund Swedberg had legal oversight.

Swedberg had been appointed guardian of the affairs of various incapacitated people by the surrogate's office beginning in 1994. Moran took office as surrogate in 2003 and soon after became suspicious of Swedberg because it appeared he had been commingling funds.

The Probate Court removed Swedberg from all fiduciary offices held at the time, including guardianship of 11 individuals and administrator of two decedent's estates. All accountings submitted to the court by Swedberg for approval were held pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

Full Article and Source:
Minister told to surrender his social-work license

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Was he dipping into the collection box, too?