An attorney assigned to handle assets for an elderly Queens woman’s estate apparently included herself in the will, according to authorities.
The court appointed lawyer, identified by Queens District Attorney Richard Brown’s office as Yves-Merry Telemaque, 49, of 116-52 218th Street in Cambria Heights was retained to oversee the affairs of a Queens senior. She is now charged with stealing more than $50,000 from the proceeds of a real estate transaction following her death.
According to the charges, she allegedly stole the money between 2008 and 2013. After being appointed as Cleo Veal’s guardian in 2007, she was given permission, in November of 2008, to sell real property owned by Vale and was supposed to deposit the funds from the sale into an IOLA (Interest On Lawyer Account) account maintained by the defendant in her name at Chase Bank.
When the woman passed away in November 2008 at 92, Telemaque was ordered to put the proceeds of the property sale into her IOLA account. The transfer was to amount to $311,597.
But after examination and review by a forensic accountant it was shown that the defendant deposited a check in the amount of $18,375 as a down payment, from the buyer of the real property belonging to Cleo Veal.
In addition, on November 10, 2008, the defendant deposited a check in the amount of $296,718, for the purchase of the property into the IOLA account. A further review showed that on March 29, 2013, there was a balance of $13,426, in the account and that the defendant did prior to that date make withdrawals in excess of $50,000 without authority or permission.
She was charged with second-degree grand larceny and if convicted she faces up to 15 years in prison.
By Samantha Geary
