Solicitor gets three and a half years for embezzlement
Proud to be fishy… Michael Karus, 48, has been jailed by Edinburgh Sheriff Court for three and a half years for embezzling £413,052.81from the estate of a former client. He stole Edith Hampton’s life savings, which amounted to over £400,000 whilst he was acting as executor of her estate. Karus was hired by Ms Hampton in 1992 to draw up a will leaving her estate to Cancer Research UK. Seven years later she changed her will to leave the money to …
Proud to be fishy…
Michael Karus, 48, has been jailed by Edinburgh Sheriff Court for three and a half years for embezzling £413,052.81from the estate of a former client. He stole Edith Hampton’s life savings, which amounted to over £400,000 whilst he was acting as executor of her estate.
Karus was hired by Ms Hampton in 1992 to draw up a will leaving her estate to Cancer Research UK. Seven years later she changed her will to leave the money to June Pirie, her cousin’s daughter. Following Ms Hampton’s death, Karus transferred the money into his personal account and using the change in will to confuse the expected recipients.
Cancer Research eventually called the police after repeatedly trying to trace the missing money.
According to The Scotsman the former solicitor was not new to dodgy behaviour. Until 2002 he had worked for Karus & Co but was suspended for breaching accountancy rules. He apparently also enjoyed boasting to people that he was a shark. Classy.
