LAWFUEL – Press Release Service – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and William T. Sims, Special Agent in Charge, Miami Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, announced today that defendants Robert Keeney and Marilyn King were sentenced to 30 months’ and 20 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for wire fraud in the case of United States of America v. Robert Keeney and Marilyn King, Case No. 03-60091-CR-DIMITROULEAS.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and domestic and international money laundering in a scheme to defraud an estate of $1.3 million dollars. The deceased’s will called for the executor to place substantially all of the assets in a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust with the trust assets ultimately distributed to four charities: Planned Parenthood of Western Washington; Progressive Animal Welfare Society; American Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty of Animals; and The Humane Society of the United States. Contrary to the terms of the will, however, the defendants diverted the estate assets overseas, and used the assets to pay personal and business expenses. Real property purchased by the defendants was recovered, and the defendants agreed to forfeiture of monies being held in a bank account in the Isle of Man. The defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $521,877.64, jointly and severally.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the United States Secret Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurie Rucoba.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
