2 years’ jail for cheat who forged cousin’s will to pocket £300k
Paul Coppola, 65, who received a large payout from his second cousin’s estate, admitted forging his signature.
Coppola, of Edinburgh, told officers he did not agree with his relative’s wish that the money should go to humanitarian charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. He admitted obtaining £300,000 and two properties by fraud and attempting to obtain the residue of the deceased’s £7million estate.
Sentencing him at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Sheriff Frank Crowe said: ‘You did stand to gain a vast amount of money at the expense of a well-known charity.
‘You actions caused much grief, inconvenience and disappointment to the other legatees and your friends and uncertainty to the tenants of properties which were rented from the deceased.’
He added that Coppola would have faced three years if he had not pleaded guilty.
The court heard he had a close relationship with Desiderio Coppola, referring to him as uncle. Mr Coppola made a will in July 2010, appointing friend Christopher Ferrard and his solicitor as executors.
The will bequeathed various amounts to friends and family, including £100,000 to his second cousin. It also said tenants of premises he owned were to be offered a chance to purchase them and left the residue of his estate to Medecins Sans Frontieres.
But in October the following year, days before Mr Coppola’s death, a new will appeared, appointing Mr Ferrard and Coppola executors.
It altered bequests and instructed that the remainder of the estate be paid to Coppola, cutting out the charity.
Mr Ferrard’s suspicions were raised and his lawyers contacted Medecins Sans Frontieres. Lawyers acting for the charity went to the Court of Session in 2014 and successfully raised an action to have the will set aside. Coppola did not defend the action.
The court heard the Crown believes Coppola has paid back £300,000 to the estate.
The Crown has also raised a confiscation action against him to recover any profits he may have made while in possession of money obtained via fraud.