(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The former Cook County presiding judge of the Child Protection Division has been accused of wrongly taking almost $250,000 from a 95-year-old man who'd been moved into a senior living facility.
As Patricia Martin was retiring as presiding judge of the Child Protection Division in December of 2020, she started transferring money out of the accounts of a 95-year-old man, according to documents filed by the Illinois Supreme Court's Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
The commission called it the “dishonest taking of at least $246,000,” and said Martin spent more than $110,000 of the man's money to buy cryptocurrency for herself.
Despite repeated attempts, WBBM has not been able to reach Martin for comment.
The documents said Martin was asked to help manage the man's financial affairs, solely for his benefit. Instead, Martin was accused of draining his accounts. In July 2022, the man was informed that payments at the senior living facility had not been paid for two months and that he owed more than $41,000.
About one week later, the man was evicted from a senior living facility, the documents claimed.
According to the complaint, Martin was the niece of the 95-year-old man’s former spouse, which was part of why she was asked to manage the man’s finances.
The state Supreme Court's commission is considering disciplinary action against Martin, and the commission's complaint said a civil suit has also been filed against her.
The full complaint can be found here.
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