Pittsburgh-area attorney swindled woman in jail out of $30K to fuel gambling habit, prosecutors say
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Westmoreland County attorney is accused of "swindling" a woman in jail out of more than $30,000 to fuel his gambling habit, prosecutors announced on Thursday.
The Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said detectives started investigating 69-year-old John Allen Roth after a woman who was incarcerated said she noticed several unauthorized transactions on her bank account.
The victim told county detectives that Roth visited her in prison and offered to represent her, even though she already had representation by counsel. Prosecutors said Roth told her that he could get her out of prison if she agreed to a $2,500 representation fee.
After that, prosecutors said Roth returned and asked her to sign a power of attorney agreement, appointing an employee of Roth's office whom the victim didn't know.
Detectives said the victim's bank transaction records showed cash withdrawals from Roth and his employee totaled $31,300 from April to August. A search warrant executed at Live! Casino for Roth's account record turned up more than $382,000 in transactions at the casino from April to September, prosecutors said.
While searching John Allen Roth's law offices in Latrobe, detectives said they seized the original power of attorney and criminal fee agreements signed by the victim.
The victim in her 60s was awaiting a competency evaluation determination and was previously deemed not competent to stand trial on other pending cases, the district attorney's office said.
"These allegations are nothing short of disheartening, that someone who is expected to uphold and abide by the law would be accused of taking advantage of a client in such a vulnerable state," Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said in a press release.
Ziccarelli is encouraging anyone else "who may have been victimized in a similar capacity" to contact her office.
Roth is facing several charges, including theft, financial exploitation, deceptive business practices and receiving stolen property.