BELLINGHAM — A Bellingham bank employee was one of two women who pleaded guilty to financially exploiting and stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly victim with mental awareness issues.
The Bellingham Herald reports acting with the victim’s power of attorney between 2011 and 2013, court documents show the two women wrote checks to themselves for more than $300,000, withdrew $63,000 in cash from the victim’s accounts, bought $120,000 in artwork in their own names and invested $400,000 in property and issued a loan against it to an acquaintance.
Elizabeth Maxwell Klein pleaded guilty in October to three counts of first-degree theft, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents. Klein was sentenced Dec. 4 to three months in jail. Klein also was ordered to pay $5,000 restitution to the victim.
Michele Webster pleaded guilty Oct. 16 to three counts of third-degree theft, according to court documents, and was sentenced to 364 days in Whatcom County Jail, 274 of which were suspended. Webster was ordered to pay $10,000 restitution.
