“This is the first case of its kind to be prosecuted in Cowlitz County. It was really Frustrating. I kept getting ‘No, this is a civil matter’.” Sarah Flohr, Trust Officer, Cowlitz Bank
The embezzlement of a half-million dollars from an elderly Washington couple led to an investigation that crossed state lines and culminated in the arrest of 52 year old Tom Sigea in Montana. Sarah Flohr, the trust officer who refused to drop the case, channeled her frustration into the development of a regional vulnerable adult multidisciplinary task force.
The case of abuse and exploitation of Albert and Lila Sigea of Cowlitz County, Washington, began to emerge slowly in early 2005, but it wasn’t until December, 2007 that their son, Tom Sigea, was arrested in Montana. If not for the persistence and persuasive efforts of trust officer and administrator Sarah Flohr, the case may never have been viewed as a criminal act.
“It was really frustrating. I kept getting ‘No, this is a civil matter.’
Ms. Flohr, who has a paralegal as well as banking background, became involved when Cowlitz Bank was appointed the guardian of the estate and trustee of the Sigea trust in 2005. The embezzlement first came to light when Doug Sigea, Tom’s brother, revealed that his parents’ brokerage company had noticed financial irregularities. As the details and forensic accounting began to paint a grim picture of the situation, Ms. Flohr became outraged and questioned why this wasn’t being viewed as a crime, and treated as a crime.
Ms. Flohr persisted for months before she connected with the “right” person, newly elected county commissioner in January 2007, Axel Swanson. Together, in response to their frustration of not being able to insight a criminal investigation, they created the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Vulnerable Adult Task Force. In turn, the CWVATF provided the teeth, the tools, and the networking needed to push the case through the criminal justice system.
The embezzlement of a half-million dollars from an elderly Washington couple led to an investigation that crossed state lines and culminated in the arrest of 52 year old Tom Sigea in Montana. Sarah Flohr, the trust officer who refused to drop the case, channeled her frustration into the development of a regional vulnerable adult multidisciplinary task force.
The case of abuse and exploitation of Albert and Lila Sigea of Cowlitz County, Washington, began to emerge slowly in early 2005, but it wasn’t until December, 2007 that their son, Tom Sigea, was arrested in Montana. If not for the persistence and persuasive efforts of trust officer and administrator Sarah Flohr, the case may never have been viewed as a criminal act.
“It was really frustrating. I kept getting ‘No, this is a civil matter.’
Ms. Flohr, who has a paralegal as well as banking background, became involved when Cowlitz Bank was appointed the guardian of the estate and trustee of the Sigea trust in 2005. The embezzlement first came to light when Doug Sigea, Tom’s brother, revealed that his parents’ brokerage company had noticed financial irregularities. As the details and forensic accounting began to paint a grim picture of the situation, Ms. Flohr became outraged and questioned why this wasn’t being viewed as a crime, and treated as a crime.
Ms. Flohr persisted for months before she connected with the “right” person, newly elected county commissioner in January 2007, Axel Swanson. Together, in response to their frustration of not being able to insight a criminal investigation, they created the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Vulnerable Adult Task Force. In turn, the CWVATF provided the teeth, the tools, and the networking needed to push the case through the criminal justice system.
Ms. Flohr and Mr. Swanson explored existing neighboring task forces in Washington and Oregon to develop their model.
SOURCE: NCEA Newsletter
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Hooray! Thank you Ms. Flohr, you are a champ. I am sure that others will not be put off by the standard ".......No, this is a civil matter." The is a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel, at last.
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