Chapter 15 - The financial charges
The prosecutor filed financial charges four months after the baby shower.
Narrow.
Not the whole $42,300.
Counts related to:
Misuse of fiduciary authority/theft involving an older adult for documented transactions totaling approximately $8,940.
Why only $8,940?
Because those were the clearest transactions supported by:
Explicit written objections.
Personal merchant records.
Veronica admissions.
The $600 wallet cash.
Other disputed amounts remained civil.
That frustrated Grace.
“Only nine thousand?”
Prosecutor Laura Kim said:
“Criminal court is not an accounting service.”
Exactly.
Beyond reasonable doubt.
Then charges were felony-level because victim age/fiduciary status and amount under applicable statute? Ohio? Setting USA unspecified. Could be. We should avoid exact degree. Say felony theft/fiduciary misuse counts.
Veronica surrendered through counsel.
No raid.
Released pending trial.
Conditions:
No financial authority over Elaine.
No witness intimidation.
No direct contact with Elaine except counsel-approved? Elaine could choose. She chose no direct contact.
Then defense.
Veronica argued:
Gifts.
Implied consent.
Caregiving compensation.
Selective memory.
Elaine remained competent and consistent.
But human memory about verbal permission could vary.
Then one charge involving spa was dropped before trial because Elaine admitted she may once have said:
“Go treat yourself.”
Was it that specific visit?
Unclear.
Criminal prosecutor removed weak count.
Good.
Then strong counts remained.
The $600 wallet cash.
$860 clothing after explicit “do not use my card for your clothes.”
$486 friend dinner.
$1,500 cash withdrawal followed by personal deposit/spending with no Elaine-related support.
Several shower payments after Elaine’s written $1,000 limit.
Could the shower payments be theft if used for a family event Elaine attended?
Prosecutor had to show lack of authorization.
Texts helped.
Still contested.
Trial date set months ahead.
May you like
Civil case continued.
No early ending.
