Utah-based lawyer Calvin Curtis pled guilty in a federal court earlier this month to embezzling millions of dollars from his clients, including Glenn McConkey, the mother of late freeskiing pioneer Shane McConkey. Glenn, who’s 79 and is suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia and lives in a full-time care facility in Utah, initially hired Curtis, an estate attorney in Salt Lake City who specializes in elder law, special needs trusts, and estate planning for those with disabilities, in 2014.
According to a Department of Justice statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah, Curtis admitted that in his role as trustee for Glenn’s account, he transferred at least $9.5 million from Glenn’s estate into his own personal accounts and also created fraudulent financial statements, which he sent to the court-appointed conservator of Glenn’s accounts, a company called Stagg Fiduciary Services, to hide the money laundering. Curtis allegedly used the funds to remodel his own home, pay for personal travel, and support his law firm operations.
“Calvin Curtis’ greed had devastating consequences for his clients, who placed their trust and money in his hands,” said Dennis Rice, Special Agent in Charge of the Salt Lake City FBI. In a recent civil lawsuit, Curtis was ordered to pay more than $12 million in damages to Glenn, while prosecutors are recommending a prison sentence of six years.