Attorney Steals $558,371.13 From Step-Mom for Gambling Debts
“A woman whose step-son, an attorney, stole $558,371.13 from her was not entitled to a directed verdict in a case in which she blames her ex-husband for the loss based on his failure to alert her that his son by a previous marriage was addicted to gambling, Div. Three of the Fourth District Court of Appeal held yesterday,” reports a MetNews Staff Writer in Metropolitan News-Enterprise.
“Plaintiff Wendy Sawyer contended that her former spouse, retired lawyer Stephen D. Sawyer, had a fiduciary duty to her in mid-2015—when he allegedly learned of the gambling and stealing—because he was a partner in the law firm of Sawyer & Sawyer to which she was paying a monthly retainer of $25,000. Had she been told of the thievery at that time, she argued, she could have blocked the losses, most of which occurred in 2015.”
“She did not find out about the stepson’s filching until the following year.”
“Joining her as plaintiffs were five of her companies, which had been represented by the step-son, Jason R. Sawyer.”
