Former Tazewell Public Guardian Responds to Misconduct Allegations

By Tim Shelley

The former Tazewell County public guardian is largely blaming inadvertent mistakes to explain allegations he misused funds he was managing for three men with disabilities.

Matthew Stropes of Pekin served as the county's public guardian from 2009 to 2019. Public guardians manage the personal, financial, and legal affairs of the developmentally disabled, persons suffering from mental illness, or elderly people with disabilities who have no one else to advocate on their behalf.

The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission said he illegally steered more than $30,000 away from those accounts for his own benefit. Stropes recently filed a reply to those allegations with the commision.

In the case of James Westervelt, Stropes said he did pay himself from the account for services rendered without court approval in multiple cases, but has since reimbursed the expenses. In one instance, he admitted to inadvertently withdrawing $6,787 from Westervelt's account to compensate himself for services provided to another ward, Lonnie Brandon. He said he later reimbursed that money, as well.

In the case of Peter Mitzo, Stropes admitted to withdrawing thousands of dollars from his account on multiple occasions for his personal usage, but denies allegations of dishonest conduct.

Stropes is set to participate in a prehearing conference before the ARDC on March 6. Stropes isn't criminally charged, but could face disciplinary action for professional misconduct.

Full Article & Source:
Former Tazewell Public Guardian Responds to Misconduct Allegations 

See Also:
Complaint says former Tazewell County Public Guardian stole over $30,000 from 2009 to 2019

Nick in the AM: Former Tazewell public guardian accused of stealing from clients

Complaint says former Tazewell County Public Guardian stole over $30,000 from 2009 to 2019

by Kyle Beachy

Pekin Attorney Matthew Stropes was appointed as the Tazewell County Public Guardian on December 3, 2009 and served in that post until August 27, 2019. A report from the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission says during his time in the role he was "knowingly dishonest" and "involved in dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation" in stealing a total of $32,242.71 to use for his own personal purposes.

The public guardian looks over the estate and finances for elderly and disabled who have no one else to do so.

The complaint against Stropes was filed on November 20, 2019 to be reviewed in a hearing by the board of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.

The complaint alleges Stropes wrote 3 checks and electronically transferred funds to himself from the account of James Westervelt totaling $20,955.21. The first check was written on December 13, 2013 with the last transaction taking place May 16, 2018. James Westervelt died on March 8, 2017.

Stropes is also accused of filing a false accounting. Steven Morgan, the attorney for the estate of James Westervelt, asked for a final accounting of the estate. Morgan filed an objection to the final estate on April 20, 2018. He accused Stropes of paying himself "guardianship fees" twice. One payment of $6,255 on October 29, 2015 and another payment of $6,787.50 on July 22, 2016. These payments were made in addition to the checks written to himself. The attorney for Westervelt's estate maintained the fees were not consistent with an affidavit and without approval of the court.

In addition, the final estate accounting does not include the checks that were written to Stropes by himself. The complaint said Stropes "knowingly omitted checks" which were payments to himself.

In Count III of the complaint, Stropes allegedly took $6787.50 belonging to Lonnie Brandon, a disabled man. Stropes allegedly took this money and transferred it to the account of James Westervelt in an attempt to cover up the money he had taken on May 15, 2018.

The fourth and final complaint alleges Stropes electronically transferred $2,500 and $2,000 from another disabled man, Peter Mitzo, to himself in October 2015 and March 2017.

In total, Stropes is accused of misappropriating $32, 242.71. The official complain was filed by Peter L. Rotskoff and Rachel C. Miller on behalf of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.

A pre-hearing conference is scheduled for February 5, 2020 at 9:30 am via teleconference. An official hearing date is not set. It's unclear if criminal charges have been filed.

This story will be updated.

Full Article & Source:
Complaint says former Tazewell County Public Guardian stole over $30,000 from 2009 to 2019 

See Also:
Nick in the AM: Former Tazewell public guardian accused of stealing from clients

Nick in the AM: Former Tazewell public guardian accused of stealing from clients

By Nick Vlahos

Good morning, troops. It’s Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Criminal charges are uncertain, but the former Tazewell County public guardian faces professional sanction after being accused of tapping clients’ funds for his personal use.

Pekin-based lawyer Matthew J. Stropes withdrew about $32,000 from the bank accounts of three people whose finances he was overseeing, according to a complaint from the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Illinois Supreme Court.

The complaint was filed Nov. 20. A hearing is to determine Stropes’ culpability and discipline, if warranted.

A pre-hearing conference was scheduled for Feb. 5. No hearing date has been scheduled.

Tazewell County State’s Attorney Stewart Umholtz declined comment Wednesday. He stated it’s his practice to neither confirm nor deny existence of a criminal investigation.

Umholtz confirmed he’s aware of the commission complaint against Stropes.

Public guardians are appointed for adults who require help in administering their estates. Among clients are the developmentally disabled, mentally ill and elderly people who have disabilities.
The primary victim of Stropes’ alleged malfeasance sustained $20,955.21 in losses, according to the commission.

On three occasions between December 2013 and July 2016, Stropes was accused of writing checks, payable to himself, from the victim’s account at the former Herget Bank in Pekin.

Amounts of the checks were $5,362.50, $5,887.50 and $6,787.50, the commission stated.

Stropes also was accused of transferring electronically $2,917.71 from the victim’s account to his own. That alleged transfer took place in May 2018, about 14 months after the victim died.

In connection with those withdrawals, Stropes was accused of filing a false accounting report. An executor of the victim’s estate stated Stropes had paid himself unauthorized guardianship fees.

Another Stropes client lost $6,787.50 when the attorney allegedly transferred that money electronically to a Morton Community Bank account he had opened in the name of the first victim.

In October 2016, Stropes was accused of an electronic transfer of $2,500 from the Morton Community Bank account of a third victim. Stropes was alleged to have transferred an additional $2,000 in March 2017.

Disbarment, suspension, censure and reprimand are among punishments the commission can authorize, according to its website. As of Wednesday, Stropes’ law license was active.

In December 2009, former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn appointed Stropes as public guardian. He served until last August.

Full Article & Source:
Nick in the AM: Former Tazewell public guardian accused of stealing from clients