PHOENIX - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced 62-year-old Dianne Butler was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for stealing nearly $800,000 from her disabled mother’s retirement account. Butler pleaded guilty to one count of Theft of Vulnerable Adult and one count of Unlawful Use of Power of Attorney.
Butler was the power of attorney for her 88-year-old mother and part of her responsibility was to manage her mother’s retirement account. In March 2016, family members learned there was no longer any money in Butler's mother’s retirement account. Additionally, Butler had not paid HOA fees for her mother’s home and it was about to be foreclosed on.
Family members contacted the Scottsdale Police Department and an investigation revealed more than $789,748 was stolen from the account between January 2010 and December 2015. Approximately $386,000 of the $789,748 stolen was used for gambling. In addition, Butler pawned jewelry that belonged to her mother.
Upon her release from prison, Butler will be placed on probation with white collar terms for five years. The judge ordered Butler to pay $789,748 restitution.
Assistant Attorneys General Joseph Waters and Adam Schwartz prosecuted this case.