MURRYSVILLE, Pa. – A Murrysville man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly misappropriating over $300,000 from a local woman’s estate while serving as her attorney and executor, the Westmoreland County Detective Bureau announced.
Robert Klingensmith, 61, has been charged with theft, financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, and theft by failure to make required payment or disposition of funds. Detectives began investigating after receiving a referral from the disciplinary board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania regarding suspicious activity in Klingensmith’s IOLTA account.
An IOLTA, or Interest on Lawyer Trust Account, is used by attorneys to hold client funds separately from personal or professional funds. The board’s investigator turned over financial documents and records related to Klingensmith’s handling of the estate, which were then reviewed by county detectives.
According to investigators, Klingensmith was hired in September 2021 and gained access to the victim’s financial accounts. The woman passed away on April 5, 2022. From August 2021 through March 2024, detectives allege that over $311,000 was diverted from the victim’s accounts into Klingensmith’s personal accounts, or withdrawn through ATMs and checks.
Attorney allegedly failed to file taxes or distribute estate to heirs
Detectives also determined that Klingensmith did not file an inheritance tax return, make tax payments, or distribute any funds to the four heirs named in the estate. Officials say he failed to fulfill his fiduciary responsibilities while acting as the victim’s attorney, power of attorney agent, and estate executor.
The charges were filed by the Westmoreland County Detective Bureau following a detailed review of financial records and legal documents tied to the estate.
