Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

NEW YORK (AP) -- Brooke Astor's 85-year-old son has been convicted of plundering the philanthropist's nearly $200 million fortune

Anthony Marshall now faces a mandatory jail sentence of at least one year for exploiting Astor's failing mind to help himself to her money.

The jury found him guilty of two serious counts, first-degree grand larceny and scheming to defraud, but acquitted him on some others.

Jurors delivered their verdict Thursday afternoon to end a five-month trial that bared the New York society doyenne's sad decline. She was 105 and had Alzheimer's disease when she died in 2007.

Defense lawyers said Astor was lucid when she bequeathed Marshall millions of dollars, and he had legal power to give himself gifts while she was alive.

Marshall's son, Philip, a professor at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., prompted the criminal investigation last year after he accused his father of neglecting Astor's care and stealing her money.

In the early 20th century, the Astor family spent many summers at its Beechwood mansion on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, R.I. The building still offers tours and performances featuring actors portraying the Astor family.

 Tags  Astor Beechwood Newport RI

Comments

LEC said:

Glad to see one of the Astors is honest. Philip was right to turn his father in and Philip sounds like a down to earth man that works. I don't think 1 year is enough.

Link | October 9, 2009 9:09 AM
Report Abuse

---

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.