Long time Professional Fiduciary Services of Nevada, Inc. PFSN, Inc.Registered Guardian Patience M. Bristol awaits sentencing on May 28, 2014 in the court of Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez. Bristol's boss Jared E. Shafer has not yet been charged with a crime, and proclaims that she never worked for him.
On October 3, 2013, the State of Nevada issued a 21 count felony arrest warrant for Bristol who had been employed at PFSN, Inc. for over ten years. During that time, Jared Shafer had assigned her PFSN, Inc. "wards" for guardianship services. In Bristol's plea bargain, she admits to stealing the assets of the elderly and disabled wards assigned to her.
Bristol has struck a plea bargain with Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson who agreed to drop all but one of the 21 felony charges. But plea bargains are not set in stone. Judge Gonzalez still has the option of honoring the plea bargain on May 28, or throwing the book at Bristol.
On March 19, 2012, a year and a half before Bristol was arrested, a family member of one of Bristol's former PFSN, Inc. wards filed the second of two complaints with the Center for Guardianship Certification (CGC), the agency that certifies private guardians, trying to forewarn them about PFSN, Inc. and Bristol's exploitative actions.
On May 1, 2014, the first of several expected civil lawsuits was filed in Nevada State Court against JARED E. SHAFER, his firm PFSN, Inc.; Shafer's office manager, secretary, and bookkeeper AMY VIGGIANO DEITTRICK and her company AVID BOOKKEEPING; and PSFN, Inc. Registered Guardian PATIENCE M. BRISTOL and her company GUARDIAN SOLUTIONS, Inc.
In the most recent 6 page complaint, attorneys Michael Olson and Thomas Grover representing former PFSN, Inc. "ward" Kristina Berger (45), accuse Shafer and his associates of embezzling $456,795.61 of Berger's assets between September 2008 and March 2013 while she was a ward of the Clark County Family Court that assigned her to PFSN, Inc. for guardianship. Like many well to do elderly or disabled persons who need temporary assistance, certain Family Court Judges will often assign PFSN, Inc. to take full power of attorney over a wealthy ward's personal and financial affairs to purportedly work to ensure the best possible health, welfare, safety and financial protection until a family member living in Nevada can take that responsibility, or in Berger's case, her condition improves to the extent she can care for herself and handle her own financial affairs.
When Kristina Berger recovered from her illness, she received the shock of her life! By January 11, 2013, after four and one half years under PFSN, Inc. guardianship, only $34,599.46 remained from her once half million dollar estate. The rest was either missing or unaccounted for.
Krstina was one of several PFSN, Inc. clients to file a criminal complaint against Bristol for stealing, but Berger took it a step further and went to Family Court to try to find out what happened to her assets. There she was met by indifference and condescending from Guardianship Commissioner Jon Norheim who appeared to be working for Shafer. During the heated hearing, Shafer told the Judge that Bristol didn't work for him, and he was not responsible for her actions even though he assigned Bristol to provide care for Berger and protect her assets.
Full Article and Source:
First of Many Expected Lawsuits Just Filed Against For-Hire "Guardian" Jared E. Shafer and Two of His Employees
See Also:
Court-Appointed Guardian Arrested for Stealing
READ the two complaints filed with the CGC
READ the 16 page complaint
READ the full Berger Complaint
The Jason Hanson - Jared E. Shafer Story
