A pensioner would have accepted a power of attorney from her demented boyfriend as an invitation to transfer thousands of euros to her own account. She would also have had the pensioner’s allotment garden – when he was already dead. “He gave me everything,” the defendant in Vienna sees no harm.
‘He gave me this. I also swear by the Bible, if necessary,” the defendant claimed again and again before the Vienna Regional Court, on the verge of tears. We are talking about 140,000 euros, which the 73-year-old simply debited from a friend’s account and transferred to herself.
Transfer of assignment obscured?
In 2018, the retired suspect gave a power of attorney. He suffered from dementia and wanted to know if his finances and business were in good hands if he needed care. And so it happened. According to the public prosecutor, however, his money and possessions were not handled properly: in addition to the transfers, the 73-year-old woman from Vienna also received payment for her good friend’s allotment garden – when he had already passed away. Now she has to answer to court for serious fraud and breach of trust.
To which she did not say a word to the association for allotment gardeners and settlers when she returned the garden in the 23rd arrondissement on behalf of the deceased. Why? “He said it’s all mine. There is a will,” said the Weener. And that’s what her lawyer actually does. Nevertheless: such a document is only valid if the maker is deceased.
Money that is almost given to you
And since that was not the case with cash withdrawals and transfers, she gave herself the money – after all, she had the power of attorney. The judge tried to make that clear to her time and time again: “Someone who is no longer able to make decisions can give you nothing!” The accused’s repeated answer: ‘I didn’t know that then. For me, he was completely there mentally.” The fact is: the man was placed in a nursing home.
The private party representative of the remaining family also emphasizes this; after all, they would have been deprived of their inheritance. Because the document identifying the defendant as the sole heir did not hold up in the probate proceedings. She therefore asks the notary as a witness, who would have explained to the 73-year-old how a power of attorney works. adjourned.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
