PITTSBURGH — Police said a legal secretary at Three Rivers Law firm allegedly stole thousands from several peoples’ estates.
Joy Hale of Freeport, had access to 22 estate accounts and is accused of stealing more than $191,000 from as many as seven victims’ estates.
Cliff Stroud said he was left speechless after he found out Hale, who had access to his father’s estate, allegedly stole thousands of dollars from it.
"Unreal, unreal. That's something I don't really have words for. Somebody passes away and you start taking money from them. What do you say to something like that?" Stroud said.
Stroud told Channel 11 that his father was a foreman at PPG for more than 20 years, and retired and died at the age of 69 in 2013.
"You only lose a dad one time and for that to go down after that happened -- it's heartbreaking. It really is. It's disheartening," Stroud said.
Bill Krzton, who owns the law firm that Hale worked at, said she was his only employee. He said her alleged plan was so elaborate, it would be impossible to trace until it got into excessively large figures.
Forensic accounting detectives were able to uncover the full amount stolen.
Hale is charged with theft and forgery.
Cox Media Group
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