Six men, including an attorney, have been charged in a complicated plot to steal a deceased woman's house and car. The alleged scheme involved the woman's neighbor, the neighbor's attorney, two funeral directors, a real estate agent, and a car salesman.
Philadelphia resident Dorothy Kennedy died in 2010 at age 79 with no heirs. She left behind a rowhouse and a Buick LeSabre, both of which would have gone to the state.
According to the district attorney investigating the case, Kennedy's neighbor, Romanoff Quarles, asked his lawyer, Andrew Kaufman, to help him gain ownership of the house. Kaufman allegedly came up with a plan to have Quarles named administrator of Kennedy's estate. In the account of the authorities, Quarles faked calendar entries to show that he ran errands for Kennedy. He also met with two different funeral directors to forge documents showing that he paid $7,000 for Kennedy's funeral, when in fact he had her buried in a pauper's grave.
The plot also allegedly involved a real estate agent who forged documents for a fake sale of the house. Quarles managed to take ownership of the house in 2012. In addition, a car salesman used his dealership to give Quarles title to Kennedy's car.
The six men, who were caught thanks to an anonymous tip, have been charged with conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, forgery, and perjury.
For more information about the case, click here.
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