Local News in Brief : Lawyer Sentenced for Looting Estate
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A lawyer was sentenced Monday to three years and eight months in state prison for looting more than $39,000 from the estate of a client, a suspected drug dealer murdered in 1984.
Superior Court Judge Raymond Mireles imposed the sentence on West Hollywood lawyer Robin Von Welzig, 45, who also faces possible disbarment by the State Bar.
Von Welzig was convicted by jurors in July of one count each of grand theft, forgery and stealing alleged drug dealing proceeds that the Drug Enforcement Administration had seized from her client, Paul Travis.
Von Welzig represented Travis in a credit-fraud case. After his 1984 murder, she was appointed the administrator of his estate by making false representations to the Probate Court, such as claiming that she and Travis owned a limousine service together, prosecutors said.
Once she was appointed administrator, she looted the estate of more than $39,000, Deputy Dist. Atty. Albert MacKenzie said.
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