Oregon Trust Betrayal

The incredible story of an Oregon woman named Erna Boldt as reported by Salem-News.com is a classic Involuntary Redistribution of Assets (IRA) case as a trust was used to divert Mrs. Boldt’s assets in a manner contrary to her stated intentions. Mrs. Boldt acknowledges that upon her death, her son, California investment banker Leroy Newton, was to receive half her estate. In response, however, Newton created his own trust and began transferring his mother’s assets into the trust thus converting Mrs. Boldt’s property into his own — prior to her death and against her wishes!

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Stories of the nature are not uncommon. It happens more than people hear about and sometimes is coordinated by lawyers. See the below story.
Attorney defends how widow's will was altered
Sunday, April 29, 2007
During a close relationship lasting nearly 30 years, Pittsburgh attorney Gregory A. Harbaugh said he always looked out for the best interests of William and Rita Conrady. One of Mrs. Conrady's final wishes, according to Mr. Harbaugh, was to alter the amount of money various nonprofit groups would receive upon her death. Mr. Harbaugh said he carried through on that request, but the way he did has so incensed several charitable groups that they have contested the estate, which is valued at $10 million to $11 million.

The groups claim that Mr. Harbaugh illegally and inappropriately signed off on the changes, cutting the amount they stand to receive by between $200,000 and $500,000 in favor of giving money to other charities with which he is affiliated.
He feathered his own nest at the expense of my clients and these other people who are involved in this," Mr. Ashton said.
"As far as I'm concerned, I did nothing wrong,'' Mr. Harbaugh said.

Mr. Harbaugh said he prepared a new will and new power of attorney document that reflected her change in residency. In March 2006, he said, he flew to Naples to have her sign the documents.
But statements made in court by Mr. Ashton challenge that depiction. He claimed that two witnesses who saw Mrs. Conrady sign legal documents said she "didn't know what was going on."
Mrs. Conrady signed her new will, the new power of attorney and a new living will the next day, March 24, in her home in the presence of attorney Henry Cohen of the Cohen & Grigsby law firm's Naples office, who was the executor of her will,
When Mr. Malo entered Mrs. Conrady's bedroom, he said. she appeared to be "drugged up'' and unable to get out of bed. He said she asked: "What's this?'' and the caretaker replied, " These are papers you have to sign.''Mrs. Conrady "kind of mumbled a little'' but did not speak audibly while a nurse raised her up enough to sign the papers, Mr. Malo said. "That was all they needed from me and I left.''
The other witness, nurse Harriet Matz of Naples, said she was not qualified to comment on Mrs. Conrady's mental condition. She said she worked for her for only a short time because Mrs. Conrady was uncooperative and would not take medication.
On March 27, he formally modified the amount each charity would receive, signing off on the document as "Rita L. Conrady, by Gregory A. Harbaugh, Atty. in fact."
Three days later, she went into the hospital and "never really, was mentally and physically capable of doing anything'' until her death on May 27, 2006.
They also question how Mr. Harbaugh can properly serve Mrs. Conrady's wishes to give to their clients while cutting the amount received by certain beneficiaries.

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Regarding the PA case, if you knew the law firms involved you should not be shocked. As long as they have a pulse, the Florida attorney would have a document signed naming him as the personal representative.