CLEVELAND — A Cleveland attorney known for working with the most vulnerable is now sitting in jail facing a four-year prison sentence.
Dorothea Kingsbury received her sentence on Wednesday after being convicted on two counts of theft and a count of money laundering for stealing more than $1 million from 21 of her developmentally disabled clients, plus one of her elderly client's trusts.
Half of them died before they could have their day in court.
"There were so many innocent people who had no idea this was going on. This money was from the government to help them subsidize what Medicare and Medicaid won't pay," a victim's sister, Theresa Manary, said during Wednesday's sentencing.
According to court documents, Kingsbury would transfer money from their accounts into both her business account and personal account without anyone's knowledge.
"Every day I wake up and I think, 'how can she do something like that and why? Why?' Especially with these type of children. That is the worst thing ever," another victim's sister added.
It wasn't until one of Kingsbury's social workers caught on and reported it to police in 2017 that her thefts were brought to light.
"Well, it's not a joyful occasion as the judge said, but I know my client will feel some satisfaction in knowing that the system worked and there is punishment," family friend Lisa Summers said.
The amount of money missing from people's trusts ranged from $3,000 to more than $215,000.