CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – A Citrus County woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating an elaborate scheme to steal her ex-husband’s retirement funds.
Robin Joanna Bell, 58, was found guilty in June of grand theft, fraudulent use of personal identification information, witness tampering, and forgery of a public record. The charges stemmed from a 2021 incident where Bell forged documents to gain full control of her ex-husband’s retirement account, violating a court order from their 2015 divorce that granted each of them half of the other’s retirement benefits.
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Bell’s deception unraveled when her ex-husband attempted to claim his share of her retirement benefits upon her retirement in 2020. He was shocked to discover that Bell had fraudulently signed over all his rights to the account.
A subsequent investigation by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement revealed that Bell had used a forged notary stamp and a false witness signature to execute her scheme.
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“In today’s sentencing, we acknowledge the serious consequences of financial crimes that erode trust and devastate lives. The defendant’s actions have stolen not only her ex-husband’s retirement savings but also his sense of security after a lifetime of dedicated service to his community,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “While justice has been served, it is important to recognize that no prison sentence can restore what has been taken from him. This case serves as a reminder that betrayal, especially by those we once trusted, carries significant repercussions.”
In addition to the prison sentence, Bell was ordered to pay $153,000 in restitution to her ex-husband and will serve 15 years of probation following her release.
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