As reported by Katie Mulvaney in the July 17, 2014 edition of the Providence Journal, an East Greenwich attorney was recently sentenced to seven (7) years at the ACI to serve, suspended with thirty (30) months of Home Confinement and fifty-four (54) months of probation. She was found guilty of embezzling from a client and exploitation of an elderly person. She repaid the almost $130,000.00 that she embezzled. She was also suspended from the practice of law.
Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 11-41-3, embezzlement is defined as every official of a financial institution and every officer, agent, clerk, servant, or other person to whom any money or other property shall be entrusted for any specific purpose, and every person acting as executor, administrator, conservator, guardian, receiver, assignee, custodian, or trustee appointed by order, decree or judgment of court, or by deed, will or other instrument in writing, who shall embezzle or fraudulently convert to his or her own use, or who shall take or secrete, with intent to embezzle or fraudulently convert to his or her own use, any money or other property which shall have come into his or her possession or shall be under his or her care or charge by virtue of his or her employment or for that specific purpose or by virtue of his or her acting as executor, administrator, guardian, conservator, receiver, assignee, custodian, or trustee, and every person who shall collect or receive money or property from another for a commission to be retained out of the money or other property so collected or received, and who shall fraudulently retain out of that money or property so collected or received more than the amount of the commission, and shall embezzle or fraudulently convert it to his or her own use, or shall take or secrete it with intent to embezzle or fraudulently to convert the same to his or her own use, shall be deemed guilty of larceny.
The penalties if convicted include a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or three (3) times the value of the money or property thus embezzled or converted, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not more than twenty (20) years, or both, except that if the sum or value of the property embezzled is less than one hundred dollars ($100), he or she shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Exploitation of an elderly person is defined as a person is guilty of exploitation of an elder person if that person:
(1) Knowingly, by deception or intimidation, obtains or uses, or endeavors to obtain or use, an elder person's funds, assets or property with the intent to temporarily or permanently deprive the elder person of the use, benefit, or possession of the funds, assets or property, or to benefit someone other than the elder person by a person who:
(i) Stands in a position of trust and confidence with the elder person; or
(ii) Has a business relationship with the elder person; or
(2) Knowingly, by deception or intimidation, obtains or uses, endeavors to obtain or use, or conspires with another to obtain or use an elder person's funds, assets, or property with the intent to temporarily or permanently deprive the elder person of the use, benefit, or possession of the funds, assets, or property, or to benefit someone other than the elder person, by a person who knows or reasonably should know that the elder person lacks the capacity to consent.
(b) Any person who shall exploit an elder person as defined in this chapter shall be guilty of a felony.
An elderly person means a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older. In this case, the victim was in her eighties. The penalties if convicted of exploitation of an elderly person vary based on the value of the property taken. She took over $100,000.00 and was subject to the harshest penalties.
(1) If the funds, assets, or property involved in the exploitation of the elder person are valued at less than five hundred dollars ($500), the person shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than five (5) years or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or both.
(2) If the funds, assets, or property involved in the exploitation of the elder person are valued at five hundred dollars ($500) or more, but less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the person shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than fifteen (15) years or by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or both.
(3) If the funds, assets, or property involved in the exploitation of the elder person are valued at one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, the person shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) years or by a fine of not more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or both.
If you or a family member has been charged with embezzlement, robbery or other theft crimes, please allow Attorney Robert H. Humphrey's reputation, experience and skill to successfully guide you through the legal process. Please contact Attorney Robert H. Humphrey, Esq., at 401-816-5862 or e-mail him at rhh@rhumphreylaw.com.