Lake Mary woman accused of conning elderly victim out of $100K in phony legal fees
A Lake Mary woman is in the Seminole County jail, accused of defrauding an elderly woman out of more than $100,000.
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According to court records, from October 2020 to May 2022, the victim hired 74-year-old Sandra Lentz to assist with an ongoing issue with her mother’s estate.
Investigators say Lentz was hired to conduct case research, file documents, and offer general assistance on the case.
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According to the sheriff’s office, Lentz told the victim she would be working with a local attorney and using several paralegals to complete the casework, and reported to her with the number of hours each individual worked in a specific period.
Investigators say the victim initially paid Lentz in cash, but eventually Lentz provided her with her own Fifth-Third Bank account information and began having the victim make cash deposits directly into the account.
During the time Lentz worked for the victim, investigators say she received more than $106,000 for the work done on the case by Lentz and the other supposed paralegals.
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Investigators say Lentz went as far as to show the victim documents she was led to believe were being filed on her behalf, but she recently learned that was not the case.
Deputies say the victim also learned that Lentz was not working with the lawyer she claimed she was and that the supposed paralegals on the case did not exist.
Deputies followed up with the lawyer, who confirmed that Lentz did not work with him on the case.
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Lentz was arrested at her Lake Mary home Monday and booked into the Seminole County jail on a charge of theft of $50,000 or more from a person over the age of 65.
She remains there on $20,000 bond.
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