Nephew Dodges Hard Time After Copping Plea To Abusing POA In $98K Ripoff Of Care Facility-Bound Aunt, Leaving Nursing Home Costs Unpaid

In Canton, Ohio, the Canton Repository reports:

• A man convicted of improperly using funds from his aunt’s estate must repay more than $98,000, a judge said Wednesday. Stark County Common Pleas Judge Lee Sinclair also placed Lawrence V. Kline Jr., 57, [...] on probation for three years. Any violation could send Kline to prison for up to 18 months. Kline pleaded guilty last month to unauthorized use of property.

• Defense attorney Jeffrey Jakmides said Kline is the victim’s sole heir. Assistant Stark County Prosecutor Lewis Guarnieri said Kline had power of attorney over the victim, who is in a nursing home and now has a court-appointed guardian. Kline was supposed to pay the victim’s nursing home expenses, but didn’t and money was missing from her account, Guarnieri said.

Source: Lake Twp. man must pay $98,000 in restitution.