Former attorney will have rest of his life to repay more than $2.2 million he stole
When an attorney is hired to handle an estate or trust, they are entrusted to protect their client's money. But one Venice attorney who instead helped himself to more than $2.2 million, will now spend the rest of his life repaying the money he embezzled.
Adam Russell Miller, 39, pleaded guilty in April to one count of scheming to defraud more than $50,000. He also pleaded no contest to three counts of scheme to defraud more than $50,000 and one count of scheme to defraud more than $20,000.
On Thursday, Miller was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Circuit Judge Charles Roberts. After his release from prison, Miller will be placed on probation for 60 years and ordered to pay restitution to the five trusts he stole from.
Stephen Johnston asked that Miller receive the harshest sentence possible after the financial impact Miller had on his family, he wrote in a letter to the court. Miller stole about a $1 million from his parents' estates. The money taken from the estate included college funds that George and Eileen Johnston, both World War II veterans had set up for their grandchildren.
"He was vindictive turning over control of the Johnston Trust even after the Florida Supreme Court ordered him to do so," Johnston said.
Johnston, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, was unable to attend Thursday's sentencing because the stress would aggravate his symptoms. His sister, however, did testify during the hearing.
"Adam Miller was an attorney who took advantage of his clients in their most desperate time," Assistant State Attorney Andrew van Sickle said in an issued statement. "By doing so, he violated the most basic premise of our profession which is to help others who cannot help themselves. His scheme will have real and lasting consequences for the victims and their families."
Miller lost his license to practice law in August when the Florida Supreme Court ordered a permanent revocation.
The embezzling dated back to 2010. Miller was first arrested on June 6, 2017, after the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and the FBI began looking into the thefts. Miller would take large amounts of money from his client's accounts and deposit them in his own accounts or that of his law firm.
According to court records, investigators located a bank account in the name of the Adam Miller Family Trust containing more than $20,000 that could all be traced back to the victims' accounts.
This story was originally published June 18, 2018 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Former attorney will have rest of his life to repay more than $2.2 million he stole."