Nurse who raped incapacitated patient speaks at sentencing

 

The former Hacienca HealthCare nurse who raped and impregnated an incapacitated woman expressed remorse during the sentencing hearing but a judge gave him the maximum sentence.

 

Source:

Nurse who raped incapacitated patient speaks at sentencing 

 

See Also: 

Judge OKs $15M settlement over rape of incapacitated woman

 

Arizona, 2 doctors sued over rape of incapacitated woman 

 

Trial Date Set For Man Accused Of Raping Incapacitated Woman At Hacienda Healthcare

Judge orders former Hacienda nurse accused of raping patient to take HIV test pending appeal

Arizona care unit where incapacitated woman gave birth to stay open

Hacienda HealthCare to cease operation at South Phoenix facility

Arizona governor calls for stronger protections after incapacitated woman’s pregnancy

Ex-nurse accused of impregnating a severely disabled Arizona woman pleads not guilty

Lawyer: No proof nurse raped Arizona patient who had baby

Nurse arrested in rape of woman in vegetative state who gave birth at care facility

Center where comatose woman had baby faced criminal probe

Lawyer: Incapacitated woman who gave birth not in coma

Patient alleges abuse at Hacienda Healthcare, two staff members placed on leave

Facility CEO resigns after woman in vegetative state gives birth; new allegations emerge

Patient in vegetative state gives birth, sex abuse investigation underway: report

Arizona nurse who sexually assaulted incapacitated patient sentenced to 10 years

Nathan Sutherland sexually assaulted a woman who was at a long-term care facility. The woman gave birth in December 2018.

 

By Phil Helsel

A former Arizona nurse who sexually assaulted an incapacitated patient at a long-term care facility where she later gave birth was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday.

The man, Nathan Sutherland, was sentenced to the maximum allowed under the sexual assault charge that he pleaded guilty to in September.

The sexual assault of the woman, who was 29 at the time, was discovered after she gave birth in December 2018 at a Hacienda HealthCare facility in Phoenix, where she was a patient.

The woman had been at the long-term care facility since she was 3.

Her family has said she has significant intellectual disabilities as a result of seizures early in her childhood. She has some ability to move her limbs, head and neck but cannot speak.

“It’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable adult than the victim in this case,” Superior Court Judge Margaret LaBianca said at sentencing.

Sutherland was also sentenced to lifetime supervised probation, and he will have to register as a sex offender, NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix reported.

Sutherland was arrested and charged in January 2019 after DNA evidence tied him to the child. He was fired after his arrest and pleaded guilty to sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse in September.

In court Thursday, Sutherland apologized to the victim and her family, according to The Associated Press. The victim’s mother is the child's guardian.

"To the victim, I am sorry," Sutherland said. "You didn’t deserve to be hurt no matter what was going on in my personal life and the demons I was fighting. I had no right to put you through that."

John A. Micheaels, an attorney for the victim's family, said they asked for the maximum sentence, which the judge imposed. The family did not wish to comment further Thursday.

In a written statement, Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said the sentence was just and appropriate.

"This sentence honors the wishes of the victims in this case," Adel said. "I am committed to holding offenders accountable and when determining the terms of a plea agreement offered to any defendant, all factors, both mitigating and aggravating, are considered."

Bill Timmons, then the CEO of Hacienda HealthCare, resigned after the woman gave birth. The state of Arizona, Hacienda and others settled for millions of dollars in lawsuits filed by the woman’s family.

Hacienda’s current CEO, Perry Petrilli, said in a statement Thursday of Sutherland: “We are relieved that he will never again torment another innocent human being.”

Full Article & Source:

Arizona nurse who sexually assaulted incapacitated patient sentenced to 10 years 

Former Mercyhealth vice president charged in kickback scheme

by Neil Johnson

The U.S. Attorney in Madison on Wednesday charged a former Mercyhealth official and the operator of a former marketing firm in a kickback scheme that officials said defrauded the Janesville-based health system of more than $3 million.

The Western District U.S. Attorney’s office, in a six-page charging document, lays out details of how former Mercyhealth vice president Barbara Bortner, 57, Milton, and marketing firm operator Ryan Weckerly, 46, Sycamore, Illinois, are suspected of creating business bank accounts to sock away checks and cash they’d siphoned off in a five-year-long scheme involving inflated billings by Weckerly.

Bortner, a 30-year employee of Mercyhealth, was charged in federal court Wednesday with wire fraud and tax evasion. Weckerly was charged with aiding and abetting in the preparation of a false income tax return.

Bortner and Weckerly both waived their rights to indictment by a grand jury and agreed to plead guilty, according to the release.

“The wire fraud and tax charges stem from Bortner and Weckerly’s involvement in a kickback scheme while she was the vice president of marketing at Mercyhealth,” the U.S. Attorney said in the release.

Janesville-based Mercyhealth is a multi-billion dollar nonprofit hospital and health care group that operates more than a half-dozen hospitals and more than 60 clinics across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, including Mercyhealth Hospital and Trauma Center, Janesville.

Weckerly was owner of Morningstar Media Group, a marketing agency based in Sycamore, and his company did business as health and wellness publication InVironments Magazine, the charging documents said.

“Beginning in February of 2015, Bortner and Weckerly devised a plan whereby he would submit inflated invoices to Bortner for his marketing work for Mercyhealth,” the release states.

“Bortner and Weckerly agreed that he would provide monetary kickbacks to Bortner for the funds he received from the inflated invoices,” the release continues. “In return, Bortner agreed she would continue to use Morningstar Media Group as the primary marketing agency for Mercyhealth. The kickback scheme continued until June of 2020 and involved over $3 million.”

Bortner failed to report her income from the kickbacks on her federal tax return in 2018, according to the release.

Weckerly was charged with aiding and abetting because he gave Bortner a false Form 1099 for 2019 that underreported her compensation from Weckerly by excluding the amount of money received in the kickback scheme, according to the charging documents.

Weckerly wrote 103 checks that totaled more than $2 million to Bortner and also gave her cash. Bortner deposited much of the money in an account she created at the Bank of Milton, one of the charging documents states.

The Bank of Milton account was in the name of “WeInspire LLC,” the document states.

According to the charging document, Bortner created WeInspire to make it “appear that she was performing legitimate work for InVironments Magazine.”

“In reality, Bortner’s creation of WeInspire was an attempt to disguise the source of the kickback payments from Weckerly,” the charging document continued.

Mercyhealth CEO Javon Bea previously told The Gazette that Bortner had clearance from Mercyhealth to authorized up to about $10,000 of marketing invoices at one time. Bea indicated that might have allowed the scheme to roll out incrementally over a five-year span.

He said earlier that Mercyhealth believes Bortner was the only Mercy employee involved.

The charges against Bortner and Weckerly were the result of an Internal Revenue Service investigation.

Bea indicated he learned of the fraud in early August and fired Bortner at that time. Mercyhealth also dissolved a partnership with a “vendor” believed to be involved in the scheme.

Bea told The Gazette that Mercyhealth officials were disappointed and shaken by the fraud, both because of Bortner’s longevity with the health care group, but also because she’d been a “big presence” at Mercy and a trusted member in its administrative inner circle.

Mercyhealth’s most recently available tax records show Bortner was being paid a $350,000 annual salary as the head of Mercy’s marketing division.

Bea said Bortner started out at Mercyhealth as an associate in the marketing department and moved up through the ranks.

According to the timeline laid out by the U.S. Attorney, the fraud Bortner and Weckerly are accused of continued to roll out through the summer of 2020.

That means the scheme would have overlapped a period in 2020 when Mercy laid off dozens of staff and chopped executive pay.

At that time, the health care group indicated it was weathering significant revenue losses from delinquent Medicaid repayments in Illinois. Mercyhealth had to scuttle patient surgeries for weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Bortner has not responded to multiple requests for comment by The Gazette.

Full Article & Source:

Former Mercyhealth vice president charged in kickback scheme

FBI: Albuquerque Couple Sentenced To Prison For Crimes Committed In Connection With Ayudando Guardians Case

Submitted by Carol A. Clark

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Susan K. Harris, 74, and William S. Harris, 60, both of Albuquerque, were sentenced Friday in Federal Court for conspiracy to defraud the United States and other financial crimes committed in connection with the operation of Ayudando Guardians, Inc., a non-profit corporation that previously provided guardianship, conservatorship and financial management to hundreds of people with special needs.

Susan Harris was sentenced to 47 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. William Harris was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Both will be required to pay the entire amount of stolen funds as restitution to the victims. 

A superseding indictment filed Dec. 5, 2017, charged Susan Harris, William Harris, Sharon A. Moore, 64, and Susan Harris’ son, Craig M. Young, 53, with various financial crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

Susan Harris pleaded guilty July 11, 2019, to conspiracy, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. William Harris pleaded guilty June 25, 2019, to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit money laundering.

Both Susan Harris and William Harris were originally scheduled to be sentenced March 2, 2020, but failed to appear for their sentencing hearing. A bench warrant was issued for their arrest and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested them April 15, 2020, in Shawnee, Okla., after they fled New Mexico.

According to their plea agreements and other court records, Susan Harris acted as president and was the 95-percent owner of Ayudando, while Moore acted as chief financial officer and was a five-percent owner. They engaged in a pattern of criminal conduct from November 2006 to July 2017 that included unlawfully transferring money from client accounts to a comingled account without any client-based justification.  They wrote and endorsed numerous checks, often of more than $10,000, from these comingled accounts to themselves, family members, cash and other parties where payment would benefit their families.

Susan Harris took steps to maintain Ayudando’s appearance of legitimacy, including submitting a proposal to the New Mexico Office of Guardianship that contained numerous false representations, including a false claim that Young was a nationally certified guardian at the time of the submission.

William Harris, who worked as a guardian, admitted that he knew that Moore was siphoning payments to clients from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration and using the money to benefit herself, Harris, and their co-conspirators. Harris specifically admitted receiving, endorsing, and depositing dozens of checks drawn on Ayudando accounts for his own personal benefit. Harris admitted to his involvement in a money laundering scheme, using an Ayudando corporate credit card for personal expenses, knowing that it would be paid for with client money. He also admitted his role in a loan application for the stated purpose of expanding the Ayudando business with the actual intent of using the money to “pay back” clients whose money had been taken without authorization.

The stolen funds were used to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including the purchases of homes, vehicles, luxury RVs and cruises, as well as a private box at “the Pit” at the University of New Mexico. The stolen funds also were used to pay for more than $4.4 million in American Express charges incurred by the defendants and their families.

“The sentences that the defendants have received today are just, and the defendants are fully deserving of them,” said Fred J. Federici, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “The defendants’ conduct in preying upon individuals with special needs, who they were entrusted to protect, was both loathsome and contemptible. We hope that these sentences serve as a warning to others that we will seek to hold accountable anyone who chooses to violate federal law by abusing any similar position of trust for personal enrichment.”

“Taking advantage of disabled veterans and other vulnerable Americans deserves a harsh penalty, especially when those entrusted with their finances instead use the money for vacations and other expensive perks,” said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “The FBI will never stop trying to hold such criminals accountable and making sure their victims get justice.”

“This final phase of the investigation will hopefully give some closure to the many victims who have suffered as a result of the selfish acts of the defendants,” said Sonya K. Chavez, United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico. “We at the United States Marshals Service will continue to work diligently with our partners to protect the citizens of New Mexico, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”

“The criminal actions by these defendants were truly brazen and egregious,” stated IRS – Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress. “Instead of helping people who placed their trust in them, the defendants were greedy and helped themselves to their clients’ money. They must now pay the consequences for their bad deeds.”

“Today’s sentencing reflects the egregious crimes committed by the defendants, who not only violated the public’s trust but also the trust of a vulnerable population who relied upon them to manage their benefits. We will continue to join our law enforcement partners in investigating organizations and individuals who misuse Social Security benefits that they agreed to manage on behalf of beneficiaries,” said Adam Schneider, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Dallas Field Division. “I thank our law enforcement partners for their outstanding investigative work and the District of New Mexico U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in bringing these individuals to justice.” 

“Criminal acts by would-be fiduciaries are most heinous because they violate veterans’ trust and put in jeopardy the benefits on which they are dependent,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebeccalynn Staples, Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. “This sentence should send a clear message that the VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ferret out those who would defraud VA and steal the benefits of deserving veterans.”

Young pleaded guilty Nov. 12, 2019, and was sentenced June 11, 2020, to five years and 11 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Young was ordered to pay approximately $6.8 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme.

Moore pleaded guilty July 11, 2019, and was sentenced March 2, 2020, to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Moore was ordered to pay the entire amount of stolen funds as restitution to the victims. 

The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI and the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Complex Assets Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Dallas Field Division of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Brandon L. Fyffe prosecuted the case.

Full Article & Source:

FBI: Albuquerque Couple Sentenced To Prison For Crimes Committed In Connection With Ayudando Guardians Case

Disbarred Former Biglaw General Counsel Pleads Guilty

He faces up to five years in prison.

 

By Kathryn Rubino 

The Biglaw firm of LeClairRyan may be gone (the partners voted to dissolve the firm in 2019), but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing noteworthy going on with them. The firm’s former general counsel, Bruce Matson, was disbarred last year after allegations that he misappropriated $2.5 million in funds. And now he’s pleaded guilty to obstructing an investigation.

Matson had previously served as trustee for the bankruptcy of LandAmerica Financial Group (LFG), and when the Chapter 11 closed in 2015, he was selected as the court-appointed trust fiduciary to oversee the wind-down. As part of those responsibilities, he was prohibited from making any distributions to himself until 2021, when the wind-down would be complete. Matson admitted to transferring $1 million to himself, $1.5 million to attorney Robert Smith, and an additional $341,000 to an escrow account in his name — described as “discretionary bonuses.”

Last week, Matson pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding for lying during the investigation into his misconduct as bankruptcy trustee. Prosecutors also say they uncovered a separate, unrelated instance of embezzlement during their investigation.

“Matson abused his position as an attorney, officer of the court, and bankruptcy trustee to enrich himself at the expense of the people whose very interest the court appointed him to protect,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As part of our unwavering commitment to pursuing equal justice under the law, we will continue to root out the fraudulent conduct of those who violate the public’s trust and use their positions of power to conceal their crimes.”

It doesn’t look like he’ll get off with a mere slap on the wrist either:

U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. of the Eastern District of Virginia said during the plea hearing Thursday the misconduct alleged in the statement of facts shows “a long history of malfeasance,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Gibney warned Matson that “it is very, very likely in this case that you will go to jail for a while.”

Matson faces a maximum of five years in prison and will be sentenced on November 22nd.

Full Article & Source:

Disbarred Former Biglaw General Counsel Pleads Guilty 

 

See Also: 

Disbarred former LeClairRyan attorney Bruce Matson charged in criminal case

 

Albuquerque couple sentenced to federal prison in Ayudando Guardians case

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Mexico

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, July 15, 2021

 

Albuquerque couple sentenced to federal prison in Ayudando Guardians case

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Susan K. Harris, 74, and William S. Harris, 60, both of Albuquerque, were sentenced today in federal court for conspiracy  to defraud the United States and other financial crimes committed in connection with the operation of Ayudando Guardians, Inc., a non-profit corporation that previously provided guardianship, conservatorship and financial management to hundreds of people with special needs.

Susan Harris was sentenced to 47 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. William Harris was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Both will be required to pay the entire amount of stolen funds as restitution to the victims. 

A superseding indictment filed on Dec. 5, 2017, charged Susan Harris, William Harris, Sharon A. Moore, 64, and Susan Harris’ son, Craig M. Young, 53, with various financial crimes, including conspiracy  to defraud the United States, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

Susan Harris pleaded guilty on July 11, 2019, to conspiracy, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. William Harris pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019, to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit money laundering. Both Susan Harris and William Harris were originally scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2020, but failed to appear for their sentencing hearing. A bench warrant was issued for their arrest and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested them in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on April 15, 2020, after they fled New Mexico.

According to their plea agreements and other court records, Susan Harris acted as president and was the 95-percent owner of Ayudando, while Moore acted as chief financial officer and was a five-percent owner. They engaged in a pattern of criminal conduct from November 2006 to July 2017 that included unlawfully transferring money from client accounts to a comingled account without any client-based justification.  They wrote and endorsed numerous checks, often of more than $10,000, from these comingled accounts to themselves, family members, cash and other parties where payment would benefit their families.

Susan Harris took steps to maintain Ayudando’s appearance of legitimacy, including submitting a proposal to the New Mexico Office of Guardianship that contained numerous false representations, including a false claim that Young was a nationally certified guardian at the time of the submission.

William Harris, who worked as a guardian, admitted that he knew that Moore was siphoning payments to clients from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration and using the money to benefit herself, Harris, and their co-conspirators. Harris specifically admitted receiving, endorsing, and depositing dozens of checks drawn on Ayudando accounts for his own personal benefit. Harris admitted to his involvement in a money laundering scheme, using an Ayudando corporate credit card for personal expenses, knowing that it would be paid for with client money. He also admitted his role in a loan application for the stated purpose of expanding the Ayudando business with the actual intent of using the money to “pay back” clients whose money had been taken without authorization.

The stolen funds were used to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including the purchases of homes, vehicles, luxury RVs and cruises, as well as a private box at “the Pit” at the University of New Mexico. The stolen funds were also used to pay for more than $4.4 million in American Express charges incurred by the defendants and their families.

“The sentences that the defendants have received today are just, and the defendants are fully deserving of them,” said Fred J. Federici, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “The defendants’ conduct in preying upon individuals with special needs, who they were entrusted to protect, was both loathsome and contemptible. We hope that these sentences serve as a warning to others that we will seek to hold accountable anyone who chooses to violate federal law by abusing any similar position of trust for personal enrichment.”

“Taking advantage of disabled veterans and other vulnerable Americans deserves a harsh penalty, especially when those entrusted with their finances instead use the money for vacations and other expensive perks,” said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “The FBI will never stop trying to hold such criminals accountable and making sure their victims get justice.”

“This final phase of the investigation will hopefully give some closure to the many victims who have suffered as a result of the selfish acts of the defendants,” said Sonya K. Chavez, United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico.  “We at the United States Marshals Service will continue to work diligently with our partners to protect the citizens of New Mexico, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”

“The criminal actions by these defendants were truly brazen and egregious,” stated IRS - Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress. “Instead of helping people who placed their trust in them, the defendants were greedy and helped themselves to their clients’ money. They must now pay the consequences for their bad deeds.”

“Today's sentencing reflects the egregious crimes committed by the defendants, who not only violated the public’s trust but also the trust of a vulnerable population who relied upon them to manage their benefits. We will continue to join our law enforcement partners in investigating organizations and individuals who misuse Social Security benefits that they agreed to manage on behalf of beneficiaries,” said Adam Schneider, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Dallas Field Division. “I thank our law enforcement partners for their outstanding investigative work and the District of New Mexico U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in bringing these individuals to justice.” 

“Criminal acts by would-be fiduciaries are most heinous because they violate veterans’ trust and put in jeopardy the benefits on which they are dependent,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebeccalynn Staples, Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. “This sentence should send a clear message that the VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ferret out those who would defraud VA and steal the benefits of deserving veterans.”

Young pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2019, and was sentenced on June 11, 2020, to five years and 11 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Young was ordered to pay approximately $6.8 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme.

Moore pleaded guilty on July 11, 2019, and was sentenced on March 2, 2020, to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Moore was ordered to pay the entire amount of stolen funds as restitution to the victims. 

The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI and the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Complex Assets Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Dallas Field Division of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Brandon L. Fyffe prosecuted the case.

# # #

 

Source:

Albuquerque couple sentenced to federal prison in Ayudando Guardians case

Couple involved in Ayudando Guardians case sentenced

by: KRQE Staff

*Editor’s note below

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – An Albuquerque couple who stole millions of dollars from veterans and people with disabilities are finally facing their punishment Thursday. Susan and William Harris were sentenced to federal prison. Susan was sentenced to 47 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and William was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

They plead guilty last year but then skipped town before sentencing. They were arrested a month later in Oklahoma.

Susan was the founder of Ayudando Guardians, a nonprofit contracted by the government to manage the finances of people with special needs, including disabled veterans and those with mental deficiencies. Susan Harris who was president at the time along with her husband used their client’s money as part of the fraud scheme and money laundering conspiracy. According to court records, the stolen funds were used to pay off more than $4.4 million in credit card charges incurred by the defendants and their families.

According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice District of New Mexico, the superseding indictment filed on Dec. 5, 2017, charged Susan, William, Sharon A. Moore, 64, and Susan Harris’ son, Craig M. Young, 53, with various financial crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

According to the news release, Susan maintained Ayudando’s appearance of legitimacy, by submitting a proposal to the New Mexico Office of Guardianship that contained false representations, including a false claim that Young was a nationally certified guardian at the time of the submission.

The news release states that William, who worked as a guardian, admitted that he knew that Moore was siphoning payments to clients from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration and using the money for benefit. William admitted receiving, endorsing and depositing dozens of checks drawn on Ayudando accounts for his own personal benefit, according to the news release.

Susan and William will be required to pay the entire amount of stolen funds as restitution to the victims. 

The news release says Young pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2019, and was sentenced on June 11, 2020, to five years and 11 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay approximately $6.8 million in restitution to the victims.

Moore pleaded guilty on July 11, 2019, and was sentenced on March 2, 2020, to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay the entire amount of stolen funds as restitution to the victims. 

The news release states that the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI and the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Complex Assets Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Dallas Field Division of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Brandon L. Fyffe prosecuted the case.

---

In a previous version of this story, it said $11 million in credit card charges were incurred, that is incorrect, $4.4 million in credit card charges was incurred by the defendants and their families.

Full Article & Source:

Couple involved in Ayudando Guardians case sentenced

Disbarred lawyer seeks 3-year prison term in Ground Zero compensation fraud

by Jonathan Bandler

When disbarred lawyer Gustavo Vila admitted to stealing $900,000 in World Trade Center compensation owed to a retired cop and friend, he faced more than just federal prison time.

He also lost contact with his son, an NYPD officer he claims broke off their relationship over the betrayal.

Vila will be sentenced Monday in federal court in White Plains and his lawyer has asked for a 3-year prison term. In seeking leniency, Vila cites all that he has lost already — with his wife divorcing him and his son wanting nothing to do with him — and his past police service that included helping out at Ground Zero.

Prosecutors want him sentenced to 4 years and three months in prison. They argue that he didn’t learn from a prior conviction and should have known better than to defraud a fellow ex-cop who he knew needed the financial assistance.

Gustavo Vila leaves federal courthouse after pleading guilty

The victim, ex-NYPD traffic cop John Ferreyra, suffered health problems including cancer as a result of the 12-16 hour days he spent searching for and recovering victims of the Twin Tower bombings.

Ferreyra and his wife were friends with Vila, who lived in Yorktown, had a law practice in Westchester County and was also a retired cop.

In 2012, Vila was retained by Ferreyra and applied to the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund on his behalf.

John Ferreyra and President George W. Bush

Three years later, the lawyer was disbarred after being charged with grand larceny for keeping a woman’s down payment for a home. He was put on probation the following year after pleading guilty and paying restitution.

Vila never told Ferreyra any of that.

In 2016, the fund sent over $1.03 million to Vila for Ferreyra. Vila would have been entitled to 10 percent. Instead, the $103,000 was the amount he gave Ferreyra, insisting for three years that the rest of the money was never paid out.

He was confronted last year after Ferreyra learned of the disbarment and contacted Fund administrators, who told him the money had been paid. Vila asked Ferreyra not to report him to law enforcement.

John Ferreyra

“The defendant’s ability to repeatedly lie and mislead Officer Ferreyra about the Award and use his purported status as an attorney to steal — and then squander — nearly $1 million dollars reflects the defendant’s true character,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Kushner wrote in her sentencing letter.

Defense lawyer Susanne Brody’s request for a 3-year prison term is below the sentencing guidelines of 41-51 months that U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti must consider.

Ferreyra contends the guidelines mark the only leniency Vila deserves, as the maximum sentence he faces is 10 years. One of his current lawyers, Bruce Kaye, called it an "an exceptionally serious crime by a predicate felon against a 9/11 hero cop" and that anything less than a 51-month prison term "would promote disrespect for the law."

In an interview Friday, Ferreyra said he felt bad for Vila and the "stupid decisions" he made. But he was struck by his former friend's failure to learn from his earlier crime. He said "the better man" would have taken the fee to which he was entitled and been satisfied with that.

"He was just waiting for my money so he could pay off his debt," Ferreyra said.. 

But Brody argued that Vila’s good qualities should outweigh “the past few years where he has spun out of control.”

Vila, 62, was a lieutenant in the NYPD and served as special counsel to the police commissioner before retiring in 2002 to become a lawyer full time. By 2010 his law practice was run into the ground by his partner, who declared bankruptcy after Vila claims he spent the firm’s money on vacations and personal expenses.

In a letter to the judge, Vila wrote of overcoming an abusive father and becoming a cop always committed to helping others. He said he had lost his moral compass after facing insurmountable debt when the partnership dissolved. He had to borrow from friends and family but could never catch up.

He recalled how as an undercover narcotics officer he often had guns put to his head. “(I) always took that moment of pause to make the right decision. But yet here I failed to do so.”

He suggested the shorter time he is incarcerated the quicker he can find employment that will allow him to pay Ferreyra back.

“I am not remorseful because I was caught,” he wrote. “I am repentant because I have had time to reflect and look deep inside my soul contemplating my actions and speaking with others who know me and know of the despicable act and situation that I have put myself in but most of all, the terrible pain and damage I have caused John Ferreyra and his family.”

Ferreyra is worried that no amount of employment will allow Vila to make full restitution. 

Ferreyra has received about $60,000 from Vila and the maximum allowed $400,000 from the state Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Once Vila repays the more than $450,000 Ferreyra is still owed, anything more Vila comes up with would reimburse the lawyers' fund.

Full Article & Source:

Disbarred lawyer seeks 3-year prison term in Ground Zero compensation fraud

Palmer man sentenced to 24 Months for wire fraud

By Jacob Mann

WASILLA — Faunus Michael Doney, 37, of Palmer, was sentenced to serve two years for committing wire fraud.

United States District Court Judge Joshua M. Kindred sentenced Doney to serve 24 months in prison with three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud on Sept. 22, 2020, according to a recent press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Anchorage.

Doney was also ordered to pay over $377,000 in restitution to the victims of his fraudulent scheme that defrauded three victims from August 2018 to at least June 2019, according to the press release.

Doney was a licensed insurance broker in Alaska and worked for a life insurance and annuity company based in Iowa. He was was responsible for marketing life insurance and annuities to new and existing clients in Alaska. Many of these clients were elderly and purchased those products to secure income in retirement or for estate planning.

Doney made his way across the state hosting seminars that were setup to lure elderly Alaskans into investing in his products. He convinced the three identified victims to invest much of their retirement savings with him with the promise of substantial and guaranteed returns.

There were no investments. Doney just redirected the victims’ funds to his personal and business accounts, conjuring up fake balance sheets, account statements, and other doctored evidence and to allay his victims’ concerns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klugman served as the prosecutor for Doney’s case. The IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI conducted the investigation with additional assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the State of Alaska Division of Insurance. Their combined efforts eventually led to a successful prosecution.

According to the press release, Kindred stated that he hoped Doney’s sentence would “send a message to Doney and others that fraudulent conduct on this scale will be met with serious consequences.”

The press release also indicated that combating elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is one of the Department of Justice’s key priorities.

Physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse are the five subtypes of elder abuse. Elder abuse is said to affect at least 10 percent of senior citizens across the country each year.

To learn more about the Elder Abuse Financial Exploitation Resources, visit justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap.

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Palmer man sentenced to 24 Months for wire fraud

Erie Attorney Disbarred After Pleading Guilty to Felony Forgery, Theft Charges

An Erie lawyer has been disbarred after pleading guilty to several felony charges for keeping settlement money from clients.

Robert Barbato Jr., 32, will no longer be able to practice law in the state starting Dec. 17. The order was handed down Tuesday by the Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court after Barbato submitted a verified statement of resignation.

Barbato entered the guilty plea to a felony count of forgery and four felony counts of theft Nov. 3. Nine other charges were dropped.

Investigators said Barbato collected settlement-type checks and failed to forward them to his clients.

A total theft of more than $270,000 was reported between January 2014 and Jan. 29, 2020. He was arraigned on the charges in late February.

The Disciplinary Board placed Barbato on temporary suspension in March.

READ MORE: Erie Attorney Charged for Keeping Settlement Money Collected for Clients

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Erie Attorney Disbarred After Pleading Guilty to Felony Forgery, Theft Charges

Blue Ash nursing home owner to plead guilty in $59M bank fraud scheme

Harold Sosna owns 8 nursing homes; 7 in Cincinnati

 

Photo by: Lot Tan

Seven Greater Cincinnati nursing homes owned by Premier Health Care Management are involved in legal dispute.

By: Paula Christian

CINCINNATI — A Blue Ash nursing home operator will plead guilty to bank fraud in a $59 million check-kiting scheme involving two banks, including Cincinnati-based First Financial Bank.

Harold Sosna, president of Premier Health Care Management, which owns and operates eight Ohio nursing homes including seven in the Cincinnati area, is scheduled to plead guilty on Oct. 20. The hearing will take place via teleconference before U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Horan of the Western District of Pennsylvania.

“We are going to accept responsibility,” said Sosna’s attorney, Herb Haas. “We are working with the government on mitigating circumstances.”

The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Prosecutors are also seeking forfeiture of the $59 million involved in the fraud scheme.

“Check kiting” is a form of check fraud which takes advantage of the float – the time between when a check is presented and when a bank receives the money. Check kiting falsely inflates the balance of a checking account in order to allow written checks that would otherwise bounce to clear, according to a bill of information filed by prosecutors on Sept. 30.

Prosecutors say the fraud scheme took place between May 15 and May 18, when Sosna allegedly defrauded Pennsylvania-based S&T Bank and Cincinnati-based First Financial by manipulating the balance in accounts to create the “false and fraudulent appearance that the defendant had sufficient legitimate available funds in various accounts, and to trick the banks into honoring checks drawn against accounts with insufficient funds,” according to the bill of information.

Sosna sent more than $118 million through banks, using 203 checks during that time, “which were unfunded amounts and were the equivalent of obtaining money from the banks without actual properly secured loans … As a result of the scheme, S&T Bank incurred a loss of $59,240,000,” according to the bill of information.

At least four banks have filed lawsuits against Sosna since June 1 to recoup tens of millions, accusing him of breach of contract and foreclosure. Other related entities and stakeholders in the private family-owned company that was founded in 1998 are also named as defendants.

Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas judges have appointed three separate receivers as custodians of the Premier nursing homes. Receivers are tasked with running daily operations and marketing the facilities for sale.

The facilities are Beechwood Terrace, Kenwood Terrace Health Care Center, Ivy Woods Care Center, Madeira Health Care Center, Pleasant Ridge Care Center and Southbrook Health Care Center in Springfield.

The judge appointed a receiver after an attorney for Huntington Bank, which is suing the Premier Health Care Management-related companies, raised concerns that the nursing homes were in imminent danger of collapse because assets were frozen as part of the court battle.

General Electric Credit Union is also suing Sosna and his related companies seeking foreclosure related to a $16 million construction loan to build a new nursing home in the village formerly known as Amelia. A judge appointed a receiver over the assets in that case.

 

Full Article & Source:

Blue Ash nursing home owner to plead guilty in $59M bank fraud scheme

Man pleads guilty to financial elder abuse

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — A Decaturville man plead guilty to financial elder abuse on Tuesday.

A news release from the Decatur County Circuit Court says Robert McCoy, 49, plead guilty on two counts of financial exploitation of elder adults.

The release says McCoy was arrested after a traffic stop led to the discovery of a large amount of credit, ID, and bank cards, bank checks and other documents.

Additional items were later found at McCoy’s home during an investigation, and surveillance video from local businesses showed him using the stolen identities, according to the release.

McCoy was indicted with 54 counts, including identity theft, criminal simulation, theft, forgery and financial exploitation of elders.

Due to recent updates in Tennessee law, abuses to elderly and vulnerable adults are now classified as higher-level felonies.

The total amount have charges resulted in B Class felony charges for McCoy.

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Man pleads guilty to financial elder abuse

Utah man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for defrauding elderly Utah woman of nearly $300k

Frank Gene Powell

by: Jennifer Gardiner

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4 News) – A convicted murderer on parole who bilked an 80-year-old St. George woman out of nearly $300,000 will spend a minimum of 10 years behind bars.

Frank Gene Powell, 51, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, two counts of destruction of records in a federal investigation, concealment of a document or object in an attempt to impair the object’s integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding, and tampering with a witness.

Powell was sentenced Thursday morning in St. George in front of U.S. District Judge David Nuffer to 10 years in federal prison and to pay $273,849.20 in restitution. Additionally, Powell will also forfeit two vehicles and be on supervised release for three years following his release from federal prison.

At the time of the crimes, Powell had only been on parole since 2017 after spending 30-years behind bars for the 1987 murder of 20-year-old Glen Candland who Powell ran over with his truck after an argument at a party. While incarcerated, Powell was convicted of sexually assaulting an inmate.

Frank Powell admitted he conspired with several others, including his girlfriend, Faye Renteria, 42, of Hurricane, to come up with a plan to steal money from the woman. He also admitted he engaged in a fake romantic relationship with the victim as a part of this plan.

Powell also pleaded guilty to witness tampering after he attempted to stop the victim from communicating with law enforcement officers investigating the case.

“Powell is a career criminal who has fended off decades of rehabilitative attempts in the Utah state criminal justice system. He’s a convicted murderer and sexual predator, who has now turned his criminal efforts to elder fraud while on state parole,” U.S. Attorney for Utah John W. Huber said today. “With these guilty pleas, he stands convicted of unconscionable crimes against a senior member of the St. George community. A 10-year sentence is very appropriate in this case and will help ensure that Utah will not fall victim to his crimes again.”

Eight defendants in all were charged in a 10-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in January.

“This crime is especially heinous because Frank Powell not only deceived and defrauded the victim, he made it a family affair,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Haertel of the Salt Lake City FBI. “As a society, we should be looking out for the elderly, not exploiting them. Crimes like this will be aggressively investigated, and we encourage the public to immediately report any fraud to law enforcement or the FBI.”

Frank Powell’s mother Gloria Jean Powell, 74, of St. George, was sentenced to time served on May 1, after pleading guilty to one count of concealment of a document or object, admitting she tried to hide the stolen money and she helped her son and her daughter, Angela McDuffie, 53, of Lehi, in the scheme.

Renteria, who is in custody, will be sentenced on July 15 after pleading guilty on May 7. She admitted she engaged in misleading the victim and attempted to stop her from communicating with law enforcement.

She faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 years for each count of money laundering, 20 years for each count of destruction of records or tangible objects in a federal investigation, and up to 10 years for the witness tampering conviction.

Bubby Mern Shepherd, 58, of Lodi, California, and Rocky James Powell Mott, 40, of Hurricane, both of whom are still in custody, both pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their plea deal include a stipulated sentence of 21 months in prison.

Cases are pending against McDuffie, Terrence Quincy Powell, 24, of St. George, and Martell Taz Powell, 25, of Cedar City. Trial in those cases are scheduled for September.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah said combating elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority.

A statement issued in a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice reads:

“Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is committed to combating all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.”

For tips on how to prevent Elder Financial Abuse, the Department of Justice has created a prevention awareness campaign with valuable information.

You can view that document: Stopping-Elder-Financial-Abuse

Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Utah are prosecuting the case. The FBI is investigating the case. Agents with Utah Adult Probation and Parole have made signification contributions to the investigation.

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Utah man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for defrauding elderly Utah woman of nearly $300k

EXCLUSIVE: Former Mrs. Florida, sentenced to jail for stealing her mother's Social Security checks, blames the nursing home for her mom's death saying she spent the money on private care because the center 'neglected' her

• WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
• Karyn Turk, 47, was sentenced this month to jail time and house arrest after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Social Security Insurance fraud
• Turk was Mrs. Florida in 2016 and works as a conservative commentator having rubbed elbows with the likes of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani
• She confessed to taking the money from her dying, bed-ridden mother's Social Security but tells DailyMailTV it was to pay for a private full-time aide
• 'I made mistakes,' she said. 'Legally, I should have automatically forwarded the checks to the nursing home. I just didn't like how they were treating her'  
• She claims the West Palm Beach nursing home is responsible for her 83-year-old mother's death and says the staff neglected her  
• Turk provided photos to DailyMailTV of horrifying bed sores her mother had  and other wounds which she says 'speaks for themselves'
• She is expected to report to prison on March 2 in Florida and then serve five months on house arrest and serve 100 hours of community service

Mrs. Florida is headed to prison for stealing her dying, bed-ridden mother's Social Security checks - crushing her dream of becoming a Real Housewife.

It's a sexy headline, says ex-beauty queen Karyn Turk, mom-of-four and socialite wife of a well-known lawyer, but she tells DailyMailTV that her upcoming sentence doesn't reflect what really happened.

Turk, 47, who along with being Mrs. Florida 2016 is also a conservative political commentator who rubs elbows with the likes of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani, tells DailyMailTV that she only stole the checks to pay for her mother's private full time aide. 

Turk pleaded guilty in September to stealing $17,320 worth of Social Security checks from her mother. Turk paid back $46,000 and is expected to spend most of the month of March in a prison camp located in the swampy Everglades. 

The checks should have been going to the Finnish-American Village, a nursing home in the West Palm Beach suburb of Lake Worth, where Turk's mom, retired New Jersey housewife Ilse Schafer, spent four years until her death June 10, 2019 at the age of 83. In December, Finnish-America filed a lawsuit against Turk that claims she still owes them $220,000 for her mother's care.

But now Turk is hitting out against the nursing home in a lawsuit, claiming they neglected her mother and are responsible for her death and says that's why she refused to pay the home for their services.

Former Mrs. Florida Karyn Turk, 47, was sentenced this month to jail time and house arrest after she pleaded guilty to Social Security Insurance fraud for stealing from her mother

Turk is seen with her adoptive mother, Ilse Schafer, who died in June at the age of 83

Turk is seen with her adoptive mother, Ilse Schafer, who died in June at the age of 83

Turk was Mrs. Florida in 2016 and works as a conservative commentator having rubbed elbows with the likes of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani

In an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV in her Boca Raton dockside condo, Turk said there's a back story to her descent from conservative talk-show personality and potential reality TV star to bottom-of-the-barrel nickel-and-dime thief. 

And at times, that story makes her sound like her political hero, President Donald Trump.

Turk is a conservative commentator who is often pictured with Republican figures in Palm Beach, such as this 2018 photo with President Donald Trump

'It's a conspiracy and a witch hunt,' she says. 'The story on how I could end up in prison – I just filed my appeal, by the way – started when I complained about my mother's treatment in her nursing home.

'The nursing home administrators knew my mother's death was going to be a problem, so they figured they'd discredit me and create a false narrative to save themselves from scrutiny.' 

A court-appointed guardian accused Turk of using her mother's Social Security checks to promote her dream of appearing on 'The Real Housewives of Palm Beach' and to garner publicity.

The guardian accused Turk of using the money to rent large homes and buying tables at fancy equestrian events. 

At 83, Turk's adoptive mother Ilse Schafer suffered from a series of ailments, including respiratory problems and dementia, and she was bed-ridden.

But degenerative diseases that couldn't be blamed on anyone, Turk says, is just a part of what killed her.

'What killed her is neglect,' Turk says, 'Neglect that caused nine bed sores on her back and legs.

'One of the bed sores on her back got so bad that you could see the vertebrae from her spine through a gaping hole in her flesh.

'They were gaping holes that the nursing home staff just filled with cotton.

'My mom was in excruciating pain when she died, and folks at the nursing home didn't lift a finger. They actually tried to hide it by attempting to have her cremated. But I managed to get the body and an autopsy by a private doctor.'

Turk provided photos to DailyMailTV of her mother's wounds taken about a month before she died, saying 'they speak for themselves.'

According to the private autopsy that Turk paid for, Schafer died of respiratory failure caused by pneumonia and bronchitis. The report also mentions 'infected decubitus ulcers (bed sores) and dementia' were 'contributing causes.'

Turk filed a lawsuit against the nursing home in early September, according to Palm Beach County court records, alleging that the staff failed to monitor her mother's health properly and neglected her care as bed sore developed into open wounds that made her body more vulnerable to infections.

Bed sores, according to Florida health regulators, can be 'very painful' and 'extremely difficult to heal.'

They're usually caused by breakdowns in the skin that touches bed sheets in the same way for long periods of time.

They're also avoidable, and the number of patients with such injuries is used by regulators to judge the level of care in a nursing home.

Turk claims the West Palm Beach nursing home is responsible for her 83-year-old mother's death and says the staff neglected her. Sheprovided pictures showing her mother with a mark on her head and deep bed sores

Turk claims the West Palm Beach nursing home is responsible for her 83-year-old mother's death and says the staff neglected her. Sheprovided pictures showing her mother with a mark on her head and deep bed sores

'My mom was in excruciating pain when she died, and folks at the nursing home didn't lift a finger,' Turk said. She provided this photo of her mother at the nursing home hunched over

'I made mistakes,' she said. 'Legally, I should have automatically forwarded the checks to the nursing home. I just didn't like how they were treating her' She provided this photo of her and mother from childhood

Turk claims the Finnish-American Village, a nursing home in the West Palm Beach suburb of Lake Worth, neglected her mother who lived there for four years

Finnish American was on the state's nursing home watch list since July 2017, according to the Agency of Health Care Administration, because, in some instances, it didn't meet the minimum standards of elderly care, according to the agency's website.

She is expected to report to prison on March 2 in Florida and then serve five months on house arrest and serve 100 hours  of community service

Records show 'pressure ulcers,' or bed sores, were found on a randomly checked resident. State regulators fined Finnish-American $2,500 and placed the home on administrative probation.

State inspectors gave the nursing home a one-star overall rating, out of a possible five stars. They gave one star for its quality of care, two for quality of life and one star for 'pressure ulcers.'

'It's false,' said Daniel Benson, the facility's executive director and chief financial officer, when asked about the low ratings and probation. 'We're not commenting on anything that has to do with Karyn Turk.'

Later, Benson emailed a statement that read: 'The 2017 citation was for an isolated incident which has no bearing on this case, but unfortunately still affects our star rating. Mrs. Turk is again attempting to redirect attention from the crime she committed. Due to ongoing litigation, we cannot comment any further.'

The nursing home, by the way, received five stars for the nutrition and hydration of its 45 residents, and five stars for the residents' dignity.

As bad blood festered between Turk and the nursing home's administration, she said Benson even took to writing a letter about her to local U.S. Congresswoman Lois Frankel. 

His email to Democrat Frankel obtained exclusively by DailyMailTV shows Benson asking for further investigations into Turk after she copped the plea to a misdemeanor. 

Daniel Benson, the facility's executive director sent an email to Democrat Frankel obtained exclusively by DailyMailTV that shows Benson asking for further investigations into Turk after she copped the plea to a misdemeanor

DailyMailTV obtained court documents filed in September by Turk against the nursing home which she says neglected her mother

Benson wrote he worried that Turk benefited from her Republican connections and that 'the sentence will not equate to the magnitude of the crime.'

According to news reports, six employees of the nursing home attended Turk's sentencing on January 10.

'They were actually lobbying the federal government to discredit me when I was already down,' she said.

Turk, meanwhile, doesn't dispute the facts that are likely to land her in prison camp despite her lack of a criminal record.

She is also scheduled to serve five months on house arrest and serve 100 hours of community service.

'I made mistakes,' she said. 'I was using my mother's checks to pay for a private full-time aide to be with my mom at the nursing home. That stuff is expensive.

'Legally, I should have automatically forwarded the checks to the nursing home. I just didn't like how they were treating her.'

Turk and Don Trump Jr strike a pose in 2018. She was accused of her mother's Social Security checks to promote her dream of appearing on 'The Real Housewives of Palm Beach'

Turk and Roger Stone are seen at an October 2018 event. She is a staunch supporter of the former Trump campaign advisor, who awaits sentencing on federal convictions

Turk poses with Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani at an event last February

She said she's paying for the crime in more ways than her sentence.

In December, Finnish-America filed a lawsuit against Turk that claims she still owes them $220,000 for the care of her mother.

Her social standing that made her a regular at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's private club, is now in question.

Several reality TV opportunities have since vanished.

And people who recognize her from the media coverage of her sentencing look at her with a hint of disgust.

'In my neighborhood and my condo building, I can see little old ladies looking at me sideways,' Turk said. 'One even clutches her purse when I walk by.

'I guess I can't blame her.'

Full Article & Source:
EXCLUSIVE: Former Mrs. Florida, sentenced to jail for stealing her mother's Social Security checks, blames the nursing home for her mom's death saying she spent the money on private care because the center 'neglected' her