INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis attorney faces a felony charge of theft for allegedly taking more than $53,000 from a client's wrongful death settlement.
According to Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry, Raymond Fairchild was representing a widow who received $100,000 in a settlement for the loss of her husband.
The prosecutor says Fairchild was supposed to place the funds in a restricted trust account for the benefit of the client's daughter. Instead, he put the money in his own checking account and wrote about 82 checks over a seven-month period, none of which was written to his client or her husband's estate.
The client became aware of the missing funds after she tried to deposit a check into the trust account and discovered an account had never been opened by Fairchild. When the woman asked about the missing funds, Fairchild insisted the money was "safe."
"The theft of property from an innocent victim is always intolerable," said Curry. "However, the relationship between an attorney and his client is one of trust, and it is thus particularly egregious if a professional, as alleged in this matter, abuses that trust for his own greed. Be assured that any professional who engages in such conduct will be held fully accountable."
Fairchild pleaded guilty to public indecency charges late last year and was sentenced to one year probation after he twice exposed himself while driving to female high school basketball players who were on team buses.
