When Monrovia fire Capt. Fernando Rodriguez killed his wife and then himself in June 2006, the couple had about $750,000 in inheritance money for their three children. In a suicide note, Rodriguez said he wanted his friends, Richard and Yvonne Reyes, who he met through his kids' youth sports, to raise the children.
The deceased mother's family agreed, as did an attorney for the children. The Reyeses were granted temporary guardianship of the children in September 2006.
Over the next 18 months, the Reyeses used the children's $750,000 inheritance - from their parents' pension benefits, life insurance and Social Security - as a personal discretionary fund, said Casey Hull, an attorney who represents Fernando Rodriguez's parents.
In single visits to the bank, Richard and Yvonne Reyes would withdraw tens of thousands of dollars in cash from the kids' accounts, Hull said.
By last June or July, the $750,000 was all but drained.
The Reyeses have refused to answer questions about what happened to the money.
When they were hauled into court on it, they basically said they had no more left.
Prosecutors charged Richard Reyes with seven felony counts, including three counts of grand theft and two counts each of forgery and using a forged instrument for filing. Yvonne Reyes is charged with three counts of grand theft.
Full Article and Source:
Attorneys detail alleged RC theft
See also:
Theft of Guardianship Funds
The deceased mother's family agreed, as did an attorney for the children. The Reyeses were granted temporary guardianship of the children in September 2006.
Over the next 18 months, the Reyeses used the children's $750,000 inheritance - from their parents' pension benefits, life insurance and Social Security - as a personal discretionary fund, said Casey Hull, an attorney who represents Fernando Rodriguez's parents.
In single visits to the bank, Richard and Yvonne Reyes would withdraw tens of thousands of dollars in cash from the kids' accounts, Hull said.
By last June or July, the $750,000 was all but drained.
The Reyeses have refused to answer questions about what happened to the money.
When they were hauled into court on it, they basically said they had no more left.
Prosecutors charged Richard Reyes with seven felony counts, including three counts of grand theft and two counts each of forgery and using a forged instrument for filing. Yvonne Reyes is charged with three counts of grand theft.
Full Article and Source:
Attorneys detail alleged RC theft
See also:
Theft of Guardianship Funds
5 comments:
Good, it appears the charges are heavy enough to get them both a long stay in the big house.
Another disgusting, disturbing case of vultures coming in for the kill. Long prison sentence is imperative to send a clear strong message of punishment and a deterent to others that we will not tolerate breach of fiduciary duty.
The greedy sob's just go thru the money like it's water.
I feel so sorry for the children. They've been through enough and now this.
It's very tragic.
How long will they have to stay in prison to make restitution?
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