An Ohio law firm office manager is accused of stealing more than $864,000 from 11 disabled veterans whose money the firm was trusted to manage.
Darlene Toman, 64, faces six counts of bank fraud, six counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft, reports Military.com.
Federal prosecutors say she also took $77,051 from the pro bono account of Kabb Law Firm in Beachwood, where she worked.
The firm focuses on elder care and acts as a fiduciary for veterans who need help handling their finances because of injuries or disabilities tied to their military service.
One of the alleged victims is a veteran who received a Purple Heart after being shot in the head by a sniper in Iraq.
The indictment alleges Toman wrote checks to herself from client accounts and the firm’s pro bono account from February of 2018 to December of 2024.
Prosecutors say she spent most of the money on gambling and used some of it to pay off credit card debt.
Says the indictment,
“Rather than help veteran victims, defendant used their identities to steal from their bank accounts, stealing benefits that had been allocated to them, largely benefits intended to help veteran victims cover their basic living costs, often while they lived with disabilities derived from injuries suffered while serving their country in the U.S. Armed Services.”
Toman pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on Monday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland and was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond.
She started at the firm in 2010 through a work release program while serving a 60-day jail sentence for stealing about $12,000 from the Lake County Probate Court.
She was promoted to office manager in 2015 and held that job while the alleged scheme was underway.
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This post Ohio Law Firm Office Manager Accused of Stealing $864,380 From 11 Disabled Veterans, Including Purple Heart Recipient may be modified as updates unfold.
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