Man admits stealing $188K from relative’s estate

NORRISTOWN >> An Ambler man admitted to charges he embezzled more than $188,000 from his cousin’s estate for which he was the executor.

John Wambold, 68, of the 900 block of Tennis Avenue, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to a felony charge of theft by unlawful taking in connection with incidents that occurred between October 2012 and February 2014. Judge Risa Vetri Ferman deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Wambold.

Wambold, who remains free on bail pending sentencing, faces a possible maximum sentence of 5-to10-years in prison on the charge. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.

“Mr. Wambold admitted that while he was the executor of his cousin’s estate he took over $188,000 that was left and meant for the benefit of the decedent’s children and used it for his own personal interests,” said county Assistant District Attorney Christopher Daniels, explaining the nature of Wambold’s admission.

“He stole this money from his family members. It’s an absolute betrayal. You simply cannot take someone else’s money and use it for your own well-being when you are charged with being in custody of that money until it’s given to the rightful owners,” added Daniels, who is the captain of the district attorney’s economic crimes unit.

The decedent’s children may give victim impact testimony at time of sentencing, Daniels said.

Daniels revealed Wambold paid full restitution prior to his sentencing hearing which is scheduled for next month. Despite the restitution being paid, Daniels said he will argue for jail time against Wambold.

“I will be seeking jail time in this case. We’re not going to dispute that the paying back of the $188,000 is a mitigating factor. But the court will hear what this family went through when they discovered that their cousin had stolen all this money,” Daniels said.

Wambold’s open guilty plea means there are no agreements between prosecutors and Wambold regarding the sentence. The punishment is solely in the hands of Judge Ferman.

An investigation began in April 2016, when the ex-wife of a New Jersey man filed a private criminal complaint with the district attorney’s office claiming Wambold stole more than $160,000 from the estate of the man, who was the father of her two sons.

Under the man’s will all assets of the estate were to be equally divided between the decedent’s two sons, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective Walter Kerr. The will further stated that the assets could be used to pay for the children’s “welfare, support, medical attention and education” until the age of 30, according to court papers.

The decedent’s ex-wife told authorities that when she contacted Wambold in December 2012 to inquire about the value of the estate he did not provide any information, according to the arrest affidavit.

In 2014, the decedent’s ex-wife and her two children filed civil proceedings against Wambold in order to determine “the matter of the probate of the will” and a hearing was held in New Jersey Superior Court.

“During the subsequent hearing, John Wambold admitted that he had used in excess of $160,000 from the estate account for his own personal use,” Kerr alleged.

During the investigation, detectives obtained a warrant to seize bank records associated with the estate. Those records, detectives alleged, showed that beginning on Oct. 15, 2013, regular cash withdrawals were made at ATM locations near Wambold’s home and numerous checks were written against the estate account directly to Wambold.

One check was written to purchase a car for $34,273, according to the arrest affidavit.

“The records showed that John Wambold did make legitimate payments from the estate account in the amount of $21,144.06 and that he had used a total of $188,592.02 of the estate funds for his own personal use,” Kerr alleged, adding Wambold “intentionally dealt with these funds as his own and failed to make the required payment or disposition of these funds.”

“He stole this money from his family members. It’s an absolute betrayal.” — Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Christopher Daniels