Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
Man jailed for $188K theft
Saying a Horsham man lacked remorse and was nothing more than a “common thief,” a judge sent him to prison for embezzling more than $188,000 from his cousin’s estate for which he was the executor, funds that were meant for the dying man’s two children.
“He was the perfect guardian in this dying man’s eyes. That cloak of respectability proved to be a disguise. John Wambold turned out to be a common thief and a con artist,” Montgomery County Judge Risa Vetri Ferman said on Monday as she sentenced Wambold to 1-to-5-years in state prison.
Testimony revealed the victim entrusted Wambold, a local businessman, to ensure the $188,000 would be distributed to the victim’s two teenage sons for their educations.
“There are no grounds that excuse or justify this theft from two teenagers,” said Ferman. “This money was entrusted to the defendant from a loved one on his death bed. Instead, the defendant used all of the funds for himself.”
Calling it a “brazen lack of remorse,” the judge appeared particularly disturbed when Wambold, while pleading for leniency and probation, implied that other monies were available to pay for the children’s educations. Ferman said Wambold tried to minimize his conduct.
Wambold also must complete 500 hours of community service and the judge ordered him to have no contact with the victims. Wambold is prohibited from han-
“There are no grounds that excuse or justify this theft from two teenagers.”
— Montgomery County Judge Risa Vetri Ferman
“His actions are disgraceful. He’s a thief. He’s a thief who’s upset that he got caught.”
— Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Christopher Daniels
dling the finances of others during his supervision.
“I take full responsibility for this unfortunate situation,” Wambold said before learning his fate.
Wambold, 68, of the 900 block of Tennis Avenue, previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft by unlawful taking in connection with incidents that occurred between October 2012 and February 2014.
The two teenage boys testified about the family’s financial problems and the angst they suffered during the intervening years that Wambold neglected them of their inheritance. One teen, who had to withdraw from college as a result of the theft, called it Wambold’s “diabolical plan.”
“My dad was the best kind of man and you can’t rob him of that,” one of the teenagers addressed Wambold.
“How could a family member steal children’s money?” the boys’ mother testified.
Assistant District Attorney Christopher Daniels argued for prison time against Wambold, calling his conduct a family betrayal. Daniels said Wambold used the money for his own interests, including purchasing a car.
“His actions are disgraceful. He’s a thief. He’s a thief who’s upset that he got caught,” Daniels argued. “These two young children, who were teenagers at the time, had to change plans that they had. Both of these kids had plans in life and their father left them money so that they could execute those plans and this defendant’s theft of that money really changed everything.”
Testimony revealed Wambold recently paid full restitution prior to his sentencing hearing. Despite the restitution being paid, Daniels argued jail time was warranted because of the angst the victims suffered when they discovered that Wambold had stolen the money.
With the sentencing hearing completed, the court will now release the $188,000 in restitution to the victims.
Defense lawyer Paul Isicrate sought leniency for Wambold, arguing he had no prior criminal record and was remorseful.
“For most of his life Mr. Wambold has been an exemplary citizen. He’s accepted full responsibility for his actions and is extremely contrite and remorseful,” Isicrate maintained. “He made a significant mistake. He recognizes that.”
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 was the perfect guardian in this dying man’s eyes. That cloak of respectability proved to be a disguise. John Wambold turned out to be a common thief and a con artist.” — Montgomery County Judge Risa Vetri Ferman