Trust Fraud

Liane Kerr, criminal defense attorney and ex-wife of Desert State CEO Paul Donisthorpe, at a change-in-venue hearing in April. (Joshua Bachman/Las Cruces Sun-News)

New Mexico: Plea bargain catches victims by surprise

November 30, 2017 // 0 Comments

 By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Federal law says crime victims have a right to “reasonable and timely notice” of any public court proceedings involving the crime. But Paul Donisthorpe’s sudden plea bargain Monday in a high-profile $4 million trust fund embezzlement scheme caught victims by surprise. Armando Ramirez, of Santa Teresa, helps support his brother Omar Ramirez, who lost nearly $1 million in a trust account managed by Donisthorpe that was supposed to pay for [- more...]
Paul A. Donisthorpe, shown in this 2003 photo, is the CEO of a nonprofit trust company in Albuquerque that state regulators say didn’t post a surety bond to ensure financial protection of the trust assets managed by the company. (Randy Stiner/Albuquerque Journal)

BREAKING NEWS – New Mexico: Former Desert State Life CEO pleads guilty in Federal Court to fraud, money laundering

November 28, 2017 // 0 Comments

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The former CEO of Desert State Life Management pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in federal court Monday morning. Paul Donisthorpe, 62, will be sentenced to eight to 12 years in prison, according to the recommendation in his plea agreement. He also must pay $4,812,857 in restitution to the victims of his crimes. Donisthorpe ran a decade-long scheme in which he stole more than $4.8 million from more than 70 of his company’s clients. Many of them had [- more...]
Seal of the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor

New Mexico: State auditor says Office of Guardianship fails to oversee firms

September 23, 2017 // 0 Comments

From the Albuquerque Journal By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11:43pm State Auditor Tim Keller’s office on Thursday issued an “emergency risk” advisory for the state Office of Guardianship based on an initial review that showed the agency has failed to properly oversee more than 20 private companies that are paid by the state to provide guardian services for vulnerable, indigent New Mexicans. The Guardianship Office, which has about 900 [- more...]
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Las Vegas: Attorney Rob Graham Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $16 million from Client Estate Funds

September 8, 2017 // 0 Comments

By Jeff German and David Ferrara Updated September 7, 2017 – 5:13 pm Longtime estate attorney Robert Graham admitted in District Court Thursday to stealing more than $16 million from clients, many of whom relied financially on trust funds he oversaw. Graham, 52, who is in custody at the Clark County Detention Center on $5 million bail, pleaded guilty before District Judge Kerry Earley to two felony counts of theft and three counts of exploitation of an older/vulnerable person. He faces a [- more...]
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Boston: Attorney Marvin Siegel, 89 with “Ironclad” Trust in Involuntary Guardianship, Part 1 of 4

September 8, 2017 // 0 Comments

Warning to Seniors: Rich or Poor, You’re Worth a LOT to Lawyers, Courts, and Service Agencies! by Lonnie Brennan It started out simply: a retired Boxford lawyer, Marvin Siegel, got along in years, and as he approached his 83rd year amongst his fellow men, he began to slip a bit, needing some help around the house. His family pitched in, and at one point, a service that provided checkups on the elderly would visit with Mr. Siegel and see to his needs. As time went on, his needs increased and a [- more...]

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