Editor's note: This Shark suggests our local Illinois FBI only has to look to the Sharks "Wanted List" for a catalog of many of the Probate Court of Cook County suspects. Your ProbateShark further suggests that the evidence of wrong doings is transparently available in the court documents themselves. The perps' arrogance and the belief that they will be protected by "Clout" prevents them from covering their own criminal acts. Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com
Caretaker sentenced to 27 months in fraud case
By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal
A Memphis caretaker who defrauded a woman's estate of more than $80,000 was sentenced Wednesday to 27 months in prison, said the office of Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
Shirley Hardaway, 60, who was the owner of Companion Plus, cared for the victim for about four to five years before the woman died in September 2009. She was 91.
"The deceased victim left behind more than $80,000 in two investment accounts at Franklin Templeton Investments, an investment managing company headquartered in California," Louis Goggans, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office, said in a news release. "Nearly two years after the victim's death, in June 2011, Hardaway mailed fraudulent change of address requests to Franklin Templeton on the decedent's investment accounts, changing the address used for future correspondence between the parties to Hardaway's address."
She then worked with a co-conspirator to open a bank account in the victim's name and requested the investment company transfer the money.
"Upon receiving the request to liquidate both of the deceased victim's accounts, Franklin Templeton electronically transferred more than $80,000 to the bank account," according to the news release. "Hardaway then transferred the money to her personal Bank of America savings account and withdrew it all via cashier's check."
She pleaded guilty in October to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
She was sentenced Wednesday by Judge Jon Phipps McCalla and ordered to pay $124,630.54 in restitution. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case which was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Leetra Harris.
Shirley Hardaway, 60, who was the owner of Companion Plus, cared for the victim for about four to five years before the woman died in September 2009. She was 91.
"The deceased victim left behind more than $80,000 in two investment accounts at Franklin Templeton Investments, an investment managing company headquartered in California," Louis Goggans, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office, said in a news release. "Nearly two years after the victim's death, in June 2011, Hardaway mailed fraudulent change of address requests to Franklin Templeton on the decedent's investment accounts, changing the address used for future correspondence between the parties to Hardaway's address."
She then worked with a co-conspirator to open a bank account in the victim's name and requested the investment company transfer the money.
"Upon receiving the request to liquidate both of the deceased victim's accounts, Franklin Templeton electronically transferred more than $80,000 to the bank account," according to the news release. "Hardaway then transferred the money to her personal Bank of America savings account and withdrew it all via cashier's check."
She pleaded guilty in October to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
She was sentenced Wednesday by Judge Jon Phipps McCalla and ordered to pay $124,630.54 in restitution. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case which was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Leetra Harris.
