Pennsylvania mother and daughter accused of stealing $4.4 million inheritance from relative
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A mother and daughter from Westmoreland County are accused of stealing $4.4 million worth of inheritance money from a relative of theirs.
The Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday that 51-year-old Lisa Valesky and her daughter, 26-year-old Angela Valesky are both facing felony theft charges.
The DAs Office says that detectives were first contacted by an attorney who was handling the estate of a woman who was the president of a Westmoreland County beverage distribution company.
The attorney told investigators that one of the woman's heirs didn't believe that the estate had been settled from her death in 2017.
While investigating the case, detectives learned that a hearing was held in 2022 to discusss the disbursement of the estate, where a phone conversation detailed someone claiming to be the heir of the estate and authorizing a $4.4 million check to be released to her sister, Lisa Valesky.
Investigators say they tracked financial records to determine the check was deposited into a newly-created joint bank account shared with Lisa's daughter, Angela. Over the next month, $3.1 million was transferred to numerous bank accounts.
In the following months, investigators say Angela Valesky purchased a home in Export for $175,000 in cash and Lisa Valesky purchased a home in Jeannette for $400,000 cash.
After police executed a search warrant at both homes, both women were arrested and taken to the Westmoreland County Prison.
Bail for both women was denied and preliminary hearings are scheduled for later this month.
