No Joke: McAneny, an attorney charged with stealing from widow

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA   - Attorney Redmond Peter McAneny  has been charged with stealing $117,000 from a widow after representing her in a case regarding her late husband's life insurance policy. The money had been deposited into a client trust account as mandated by law.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) office, McAneny, 55, Huntington Beach, is charged with one felony count of grand theft by embezzlement with a sentencing enhancement for property damage over $65,000. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. McAneny was arrested today by Orange County District Attorney's Office (OCDA) Investigators.

In 2008, McAneny is accused of representing widow Debbie S. in securing her late husband's life insurance proceeds. The victim and her husband had been going through a divorce and he had changed the terms of his trust before his death, leaving it unclear if his wife or son would receive his life insurance benefits. A settlement was reached to divide the insurance policy in half, and a check for over $117,000 was issued to a trust fund account for Debbie S. on July 10, 2008. 

On July 15, 2008, after depositing the check into his client trust fund account, McAneny is accused of stealing the $117,000 from Debbie S. and depleting the trust account by writing himself numerous checks with no reference to any case. McAneny is accused of failing to pay the victim any of her settlement. 

This case was investigated by the OCDA and State Bar of California.