Posted on 08/14/2002 9:39:59 PM PDT by grimalkin
KING COUNTY - A local mayor is under police investigation, suspected of taking more than $100,000 from an elderly woman.
The alleged victim is 85-years-old. She's almost completely blind and friends say she can't even read her mail, let alone a bank statement.
Now, those close to her fear she's been taken advantage of.
Terry Louden says "I'm appalled because you just don't do that, you just...I have a hard time talking about it."
Louden says she reached her breaking point when she realized her best friend might be stealing money from an elderly woman. Her best friend was Kathy Gehring-Waters, the Mayor of the City of Seatac.
The King County Sheriff's Office is now investigating whether Gehring stole money from the elderly woman.
Dependent and nearly blind, the woman asked Gehring to take care of her business affairs. But Louden says she believes Gehring was only taking care of herself.
"She said that she wrote a check out of the woman's account for $50,000 and put it in her own account," says Terry. "I was absolutely stunned, I would say I was shocked."
Louden was so upset she contacted the state's office of Adult Protective Services. The complaint triggered the police investigation.
Gehring has not been arrested - but she has talked to police.
Sources tell KOMO 4 News investigators are trying to determine if she may have transferred more than $100,000 of the woman's money into her own accounts.
Documents also show Gerhing added her own name to the title of a house the elderly woman purchased. Louden says the woman had no idea she wasn't the sole owner of her new home.
KOMO 4 News tried to find Kathy Gehring at city hall and at her Seatac home, but we were unsuccessful.
Finally, KOMO's Liz Rocca traded voice mail messages with Gehring, explaining we were about to air this story. Gehring did not respond.
A long-time real estate broker, Terry Loudon says it was difficult to come forward but she has no regrets.
Louden says "It's disgusting, it's mean, it's horrible. The woman worked all her life and she had a right to her assets."
The police investigation continues, and King County prosecutors will soon decide whether to file charges.
1. Appointed by Governor Gary Locke as Chair of the King County Employees United Way Campaign
2. FAVORITE TV PROGRAM: Oprah
3. THE THING I LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING A COUNCILMEMBER IS: Talking, listening and helping citizens. (Notice that 'Talking' is first on the list...
Ok... guesses, anyone???
Clue #1: No mention of her political affiliation in the first sentence of the article
Clue #2: No mention of her political affiliation anywhere else in the article.
Answer is: What is a Democrat? What do I win Alex? :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.