SISTERS WIN $300K JUDGMENT AGAINST SIBLING WHO STOLE FROM THEIR ELDERLY FATHER WHILE ACTING AS HIS POWER OF ATTORNEY

Greenfield, IN - Earlier today The Honorable Scott Sirk of the Hancock County Circuit Court awarded plaintiffs Sandra Galicia, Kimberly Jenkins, Angeline Kennedy, and Novella Seward a $310,926.91 judgment against their sister, Tina Bedwell, and Mrs. Bedwell’s husband, John Bedwell, both of Greenfield, Indiana, for their tortious interference with an inheritance, fraud, embezzlement, and unjust enrichment of their late father, Herbert H. Carter. See Galicia et al v. Bedwell et al, 30C01-2108-CT-1165.

Tina Bedwell began acting as then 82-year-old Mr. Carter’s attorney in fact in 2018. Over the next three years, Tina and John Bedwell, moved Mr. Carter, a U.S. Navy veteran, out of his own home and into their “renovated” garage where he was utterly dependent on them as he suffered from moderate dementia and a host of other ailments. The Bedwells frustrated the ability of Mr. Carter’s other children - the plaintiffs in this case - from visiting their father and did so to conceal their embezzlement of Mr. Carter’s funds - stealing over $325,290.96 of his money over a three year period. Mr. Carter died in the Bedwells’ garage on July 18, 2021 - around the same time a court-appointed guardian was to take over his financial affairs.

During trial Attorney Christopher Taylor-Price was able to prove the Bedwells’ embezzlement and fraud by submitting:

• Bank records of Mr. Carter that Tina Bedwell had altered and submitted to the court, including checks she wrote to herself from Mr. Carter’s bank account which she scribbled out in order to conceal her wrongdoing.

• Bank records of accounts belonging to Tina Bedwell and John Bedwell that showed they deposited over $95,000 of checks belonging to Mr. Carter into their joint accounts, including Mr. Carter’s VA checks, social security checks, pension checks, medicare checks, and stimulus checks.

• Testimony from Tina Bedwell’s former attorney, Jack Tandy, that Tina Bedwell lied to him, claiming she was not Mr. Carter’s attorney in fact so as to be relieved of her legal obligation to provide her sisters with an accounting of Mr. Carter’s finances; Attorney Taylor-Price was able to pierce the attorney-client privilege due to the crime-fraud exception.

• Bank records that revealed Tina Bedwell had falsely told the court in her accounting what she did with Mr. Carter’s money.

• Evidence that the Defendants created a fictitious person - “Mae Wheeler” - whom they claimed received nearly $62,000 of Mr. Carter’s money - in all cash.

• Evidence that the Defendants created fake receipts of money allegedly spent for Mr. Carter.

• Evidence that the Defendants maxed out Mr. Carter’s credit cards for their personal benefit - spending over $65,000 in credit card purchases.

• Evidence that Tina Bedwell sold Mr. Carter’s home in 2019 and kept $75,000 in cash.

Plaintiffs welcome the Hancock Circuit Court’s judgment which holds the Defendants accountable for their brazen and indefensible conduct. Mr. Carter was an eighty-five year old Navy veteran who served his county with distinction - he did not deserve to be taken advantage of, especially by his very own daughter and son-in-law. Plaintiffs look forward to perfecting their judgment and cooperating with the appropriate authorities as this matter has been referred to the Hancock County Prosecutor’s office.

If you believe you or a loved one may be the victim of elder abuse, please contact Indiana Adult Protective Services at 800-992-6978.