Dear Dr. Polo,
Please excuse that I am writing in English. I do speak and understand Spanish but I don’t write it well. I am writing you because I need your help. My father, Antonio Rosa Perez, died in April of 2003. My younger half-sister, Diana Quiles Sequinot and her sister, Noemi Mannilo (raised by my father but not a blood relative our family), took charge of all the funeral arrangements. At the time of my father’s death, Diana withdrew a substantial, but undisclosed, amount of money from my father’s bank accounts. After being pressed by all the older children from my father’s first family, both Diana and Noemi split the properties and reluctantly split what they said was the remainder of the estate between me, my sister, my brother and Diana, his legal heirs. Despite numerous requests for an accounting of what was in my father’s savings and checking accounts (twice in writing) we were never allowed access to this information.
During the last months of my father’s life, I traveled to Puerto Rico to provide his care. It was common knowledge that Diana and Noemi were to split the house and real property and I was to get what was in the bank accounts. In good faith, my brother, sister and I used our father’s lawyer, Geraldo Perez Eschevarria, as none of us lived in Puerto Rico. What we did not realize was that he was also acting on the behalf of Diana and Noemi as well. Despite my request to review my father’s finances before and after his death, we were never given an accounting. When he approached the bank, access to my father’s accounts from March 03 through the time the lawyer took over the case in July 03 were refused.
My brother and sister wanted the case settled and closed as soon as possible and so I felt I had little recourse. I feel like I made a good faith effort in using my father’s lawyer as I believed everyone would be honest and above board. I decided I would try to pursue this on my own and despite my concerns I went along with my other family members. Later, when I realized there was a conflict of interest in using the same lawyer, I tried to get the information on my own, but I have failed at every try. I am limited by distance as well as finances, lawyers will not consider my case unless I travel to Puerto Rico and provide a retainer, neither of which I can do at this time.
Because I little access to the laws in Puerto Rico, and because when I do get some information it is conflicting, I am frustrated. I do know that the accounts were much larger than what my half-sister, her sister and the lawyer led everyone to believe. I feel like you are my only hope. Can you at least give me some guidance?
Thank you,
Vilma Rosa Torres
4542 N. Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 769-0463
2007-01-16
06:27:59
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pregunta de
Vilma T
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