Facts

Plaintiff Jo Pond, 82, filed a suit against defendants Shavarash Vanian and Marie Vanian, claiming they took advantage of her after her husbands death.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Plaintiff claimed that after her husband died in 2007, defendant Shavarash Vanian, proclaimed he could help her with various legal and financial problems. He began helping her for free. He also brought his sister, defendant Marie Vanian, in to work as a personal assistant for plaintiff. Over time both defendants began taking money and charging on credit cards from plaintiff's accounts.

Plaintiff claimed the defendants made over $4 million in unauthorized charges and withdrawals, that they were fraudulent, committed financial elder abuse and were unjustly enriched.

DEFENDANTS' CONTENTIONS:
Defendants contended that plaintiff knew everything they were doing financially, that all transactions were authorized by plaintiff, as they were required to get her authorization before transferring money from her bank accounts for any transaction, including for investment transactions. Defendants further alleged that plaintiff had no material evidence to support any of her claims.

Settlement Discussions

No settlement offers were made.

Result

The court found for plaintiff in the sum of $4,581,848.

Other Information

FILING DATE: Sept. 24, 2012.

Length

seven days