Realtor duped elderly man
Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny has sentenced a high-profile Las Vegas realtor to time in jail for fleecing her elderly friend with dementia out of $638,223.56.
exploiting an older or vulnerable person, theft and credit card fraud”
Judge Kierny on Tuesday sentenced Sophia Smith, 50, to six months in jail for “exploiting an older or vulnerable person, theft and credit card fraud.”
For her actions against the 90-year-old Cornelius “Connie” Hoffmans, the judge also gave Smith a suspended 12-to-30-year prison sentence.
According to court documents, Smith, who is openly gay, made Hoffmans believe they were in a relationship, including Facebook posts of them together where she called the elderly man her “best friend.”
With the money Smith stole from her victim, she bought a home, an RV, and paid off her gambling debts.
Strong-armed scammer
Smith’s fleecing of Hoffmans began with him donating funds to her charity named the Strong A.R.M. Foundation, a purported non-profit that claimed to fund “underprivileged women and children to buy equipment and uniforms.”
Clark County Deputy District Attorney Austin Beaumont, however, stated the organization was a scam, with Smith pocketing nearly 90% of donations.
Further duping Hoffmans, Smith made him think they were dating, despite Deputy DA Beaumont stating she knew her victim “had memory issues [and] dementia.” Judge Kierny on Tuesday noted Hoffmans was likely oblivious to the fact Smith was using him.
The judge admonished Smith with: “It’s such a sad situation that you took advantage of that trust in the way that you did.”
I’m sorry for manipulating, deceiving and taking advantage of my best friend.”
During her sentencing hearing, Smith apologized for not telling Hoffmans she was gay. Most of all, she stated: “I’m sorry for manipulating, deceiving and taking advantage of my best friend.”
Family gets some recompense
While Smith’s deception and theft from an elderly dementia sufferer is a heartless crime that may have brought Hoffmans untold grief, his family has, and will get, some recompense.
According to Yahoo! News, a civil lawsuit gave the Hoffmans’ family the house and RV Smith purchased with her victim’s money. Judge Kierney also ordered Smith to pay the Hoffmans’ estate almost $300,000 in restitution.
If Smith violates her probation within five years, the judge added, she will need to surrender herself to prison.