Family Pay Price for Executor Appointment

Date online: 12/01/2011

When appointing an executor, it is vital that you make sure you choose someone who is trustworthy. Where co-executors are appointed, it is important that they will all oversee the estate administration. The wisdom of an assiduous approach when deciding who to appoint is illustrated by a recent criminal case in which an executor, who had a previous conviction for fraud, was convicted of the theft of thousands of pounds from the estate of his late uncle.

During the administration of the estate, the man pretended that there was a substantial tax bill to be settled and used that as an excuse to pocket more than £25,000.

He also stole sums totalling more than £4,000, taking out credit cards in the names of his parents.

The executor had previously been jailed for two years for defrauding customers of the bank for which he worked out of more than £150,000.

The later fraud was discovered when one of the co-executors realised that his signature had been forged on a cheque drawn on the estate bank account.

 If you require any further information about appointing Executors for your Will  please visit our Wills & Probate Department page here at Molesworths

The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.