An Atlanta attorney pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing nearly $300,000 from a client and using it for personal use, the Fulton County District Attorney said.
Kristen E. Richbourg, 38, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by taking by fiduciary and two counts of first degree forgery and was sentenced to 15 years, four of which must be served behind bars, DA Paul Howard said.
Richbourg also was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $289,045.12 to the victim, surrender her law license and submit to random drug testing and counseling, a spokeswoman for Howard said. She may not apply for re-admission to the Bar.
Richbourg was arrested in April after a former client reported the theft to Atlanta police. Investigators said at the time of her arrest that Richbourg used the money to pay for her wedding, restaurant meals and clothes. Detectives traced the money to places around town, including the W Hotel, the Pink Pony and Bench Warmers, police previously said.
According to the DA, in January 2011, Richbourg’s client entrusted her with $535,000 that he intended to be managed in a variety of ways to lessen his tax burden. Richbourg was instructed to deposit the money into a trust fund, a savings account and two certificates of deposit, and the client was to receive quarterly draws on the funds and to be kept apprised of the balances.
Richbourg deposited the money as instructed, but also diverted upwards of $315,000 into several of her personal and business accounts without her client’s knowledge, Howard said. The client began questioning Richbourg about the money in January.
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