Posing as an Attorney, Woman Steals Millions from Louisiana Man with Special Needs

A paralegal at a Metairie, Louisiana, estate planning firm pretended to be an attorney and stole $2 million from the trust fund of a 57-year-old man with a developmental disability. According to news reports, in 2016 Kristina Galjour contacted a client of the Legacy Law Center, where she was employed, and told him that she was an attorney and would be helping him.

Over the course of three years, Ms. Galjour persuaded the man to sign over a New Orleans residence that he had inherited, sign a purchase agreement for a Jaguar car that she drove, and emptied the $2 million trust fund that he inherited when his parents died in 2015. Ms. Galjour allegedly obtained the man’s acquiescence by telling him she’d marry and take care of him if he trusted her, and threatening him with jail or institutionalization if he didn’t cooperate.

Ms. Galjour’s actions came to the Law Center’s attention after an ethics complaint was filed against the managing attorney, Chris Kane, accusing Ms. Galjour of misrepresenting herself as an attorney at the firm. According to Mr. Kane, Ms. Galjour had misrepresented herself as a law school graduate who had not passed the bar exam in order to secure employment as a paralegal. “This was a rogue actor who was not only defrauding the victim, but the entire time she’s defrauding us, as well,” Mr. Kane is quoted as saying.

Ms. Galjour was arrested on December 13 by New Orleans police and was scheduled to be transferred to Jefferson Parish jail. Charges against her include 234 counts each of bank fraud and computer fraud, theft valued at over $25,000, exploitation of the infirm and practicing law without a license, according Capt. Jason Rivarde of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s office investigation into whether Ms. Galjour victimized others continues. The Legacy Law Center’s internal review has not turned up any additional irregularities.  (The firm is not connected to ASNP member firm Legacy Estate & Elder Law of Louisiana, LLC, in Baton Rouge)

To read two news articles on the alleged crime, click here and click here.