Possible estate fraud

[Crazed98]

PA

I have a great great aunt who recently passed away. My grandfather was aware of stock and bond certificates she held but the executor of her estate is claiming she did not have any. My grandfather suspects that there may be some foul play. What recourse can my grandfather take to find out what happened to the stocks and bonds? I've gone ahead and contacted some forensic accountants but haven't heard anything back yet.

 

[latigo]

If grandfather were to come up with convincing evidence that the mentioned securities actually existed at the time of death, and provided he is a person interested in the estate, and it were done timely, he could through an attorney challenge the accuracy and completeness of the executor’s inventory of the assets of the estate.

But clearly he would need something more substantial that an “awareness” and a mere “suspicion” of wrongdoing.

Are there other family members that might confirm what he is telling? How about a former CPA or persons that might have prepared past income tax returns?

I guess you two will have to keep digging.

 

[Crazed98]

If grandfather were to come up with convincing evidence that the mentioned securities actually existed at the time of death, and provided he is a person interested in the estate, and it were done timely, he could through an attorney challenge the accuracy and completeness of the executor’s inventory of the assets of the estate.

But clearly he would need something more substantial that an “awareness” and a mere “suspicion” of wrongdoing.

Are there other family members that might confirm what he is telling? How about a former CPA or persons that might have prepared past income tax returns?

I guess you two will have to keep digging.

Appreciate the response latigo.

My grandfather saw the certificates a few years before she died and his brother had overheard the executor talking to someone at a family function about the stocks my aunt had owned. But now the executor claims there were never any certificates at all. I don't know the man well but all my relatives who have met him describe him as a slime ball. He was working at a bank but quit a few years ago after he became my aunt's executor because he also started taking care of her finances at the time.

I asked my grandfather if he could get his hands on some of her tax records but he said that if anything the slime ball had them and probably got rid of it. That is why I figured a forensic accountant might help. I'll ask him though if he recalls the CPA or the company who did her taxes. If not I'll just have to wait and see if any of the accounting firms I emailed respond.

Thanks again.