CONMEN AND KARMA

            Once upon a time there was a Lady with millions of dollars.  She was not always rich.  She and her husband were hard workers.  Her husband died.  Lady discovered her husband’s best friend had been conning him out of substantial money.  The only ability Lady had to recover any money was through a mortgage Husband gave Conman to buy a house.  Lady sued Conman for all the money he owed, including foreclosure.

            Lady received a judgment that said Husband was defrauded.  Lady also recovered the house.  It was a spectacular house, until you got inside.  It was rotten.  The roof leaked for a long time, rotting the structure.  This was how Conman maintained his beautiful home for which he had not paid a dime of his own money.

            While going through the house Lady found a letter from a clergyman.  Conman volunteered at church.  It was a To-Whom-It-May-Concern letter recommending Conman for his character, virtue and integrity.  Clergyman was sent a copy of the judgment.  Lady sold the house as a tear down.

            Conman filed for bankruptcy to get rid of Lady’s judgment.  Lady’s attorney told Lady to hire a bankruptcy attorney to pass the judgment through bankruptcy intact because it was procured by fraud.  Lady declined to spend any more money, though she had multiple millions.

            Lady lived for years and prospered.  One day her attorney was in her house and noticed Lady had a framed magazine cover in the living room.  Lady and her Husband were on the cover.  It said how brilliant they were.  The magazine was published years earlier by Conman.  Attorney commented it was odd Conman’s handiwork was on the wall.  Lady liked it, reminded her of the good old days.

            Lady and her attorney were close.  Lady had all manner of business concerns.  Attorney helped her.  As Lady came to the end of her life a distant relative came into town to take care of her.  Attorney was troubled by a meeting with Lady and her relative.  Attorney went back to her office and asked another attorney, the one who introduced her to Lady, to go out to the house with her next time.  Attorney thought the relative was stealing from Lady.  Both attorneys went to the house. Both believed relative was conning Lady.  Both attorneys called Lady’s niece imploring her to come down and help Lady.  Niece did not come.  She trusted her relative. 

            Lady died.  Her estate plan was changed just prior to her death.  Attorney was no longer involved.  Two years later Niece called Attorney, said she had important news, “You were right.  He stole all the money.”  Attorney responded, “When you said it was important I thought you were going to tell me your relative was dead.”  Niece said no, he wasn’t dead.  Attorney said she already knew the man stole the money.  She tried warn Niece.