Chapter 9 - Patricia’s Money
Derek’s father, William Bennett, died four years earlier.
His estate plan created a family investment trust for:
Patricia’s lifetime support.
Remainder to Derek and a niece.
Patricia served co-trustee with bank.
Could she loan $310,000 to Derek?
Trust terms allowed loans to descendants if:
Commercially reasonable.
Approved by bank co-trustee.
Documented.
Bank had approved only $150,000.
Yet Derek received $310,000.
Where did other $160,000 come from?
Patricia withdrew from a separate revocable investment account that was hers.
So not theft.
Let's be careful.
Actually:
$150k trust-approved loan.
$160k Patricia personal.
Total $310k.
Fine.
No trust crime.
Why initial records looked full? Bank transfer combined after internal. No issue.
So Patricia’s financial wrongdoing remained:
Conspiracy/assistance in attempted fraud/coercion.
Not misappropriation.
Good.
Then her proffer.
She admitted:
She wanted marriage completed.
She believed Claire would sign because “wives support husbands.”
She knew Derek had debt.
She knew signature on preliminary document was copied.
She rationalized because no funds would disburse until real signature.
That can still be conspiracy to defraud lender by misrepresentation.
Then trial-data threat.
Patricia:
“I never wanted leak sent.”
But text:
Use only if necessary.
She admitted wanting Claire scared enough to sign.
Then:
“I thought Derek could handle her.”
That sentence.
Did she know prior violence?
Yes.
Erica.
She knew he took phones, blocked exits, grabbed.
Did she think he would assault?
“I thought he would pressure.”
Pressure through known abusive pattern.
Could support coercion conspiracy.
Then cake:
She suggested.
She laughed.
But no intent injury.
No assault charge.
Then prosecutors offered Patricia plea to:
Conspiracy to commit attempted wire/financial fraud.
Attempted coercion.
No violent felony.
Recommended 30–42 months depending.
She initially refused.
“I never touched Claire.”
Again, technical defense.
She was not charged for touching.
Then civil case.
Crestline filed no damages claim because no confidential data leaked and no company loss.
They did seek injunction requiring Derek/Patricia destroy/return proprietary copies.
Granted by consent.
No windfall.
Then Eastpoint:
No funded loan.
No $2.4m restitution.
Investigative costs not necessarily restitution unless law.
Derek’s Bennett Urban creditors handled normal.
Properties:
One sold at loss.
One refinanced by outside investor.
Derek’s equity wiped.
Patricia recovered only part of loan—about $95k after liquidation.
She lost money lawfully due bad investment.
Not punishment by confiscation.
Then divorce settlement.
Because prenup enforced, short marriage, separate assets:
I kept Crestline shares, apartment, investments.
Derek kept remaining Bennett Urban interests/debts.
Joint wedding-expense account split according contribution after vendors/refunds. I had contributed 60%, Derek 40. After final bills, $22k returned proportionally.
Wedding gifts:
Most returned to guests because marriage ended immediately. Not legal requirement, our choice. Cash gifts accounted and returned/donated if sender preferred.
No alimony.
No marital property accumulation of significance.
Marriage dissolved ten months after wedding.
Not annulled.
The decree used my married? Since both Bennett. Let's ignore surname.
I walked out courthouse.
Lena asked:
“How does it feel?”
“Administrative.”
That was good.
Then civil protective order remained.
Then Derek's criminal plea.
He finally accepted:
Felony domestic assault.
Attempted wire fraud/forgery-related fraud.
Attempted coercion/extortion.
Violation of protective order/witness tampering.
Aggregate sentence recommendation:
Seven years eight months incarceration, with some counts concurrent, followed supervision/restitution to specific victims for documented losses.
No restitution for unfunded $2.4m.
He also agreed not to contest permanent injunction around my proprietary info.
At sentencing, I spoke.
Not dramatic.
“You believed marriage would reduce my ability to say no.”
Then:
“It did not.”
Derek cried.
Did I care?
Yes.
Still.
Then he spoke:
“I loved Claire and used that love as permission.”
Good.
Then:
“I thought if she was financially committed to me, she couldn’t leave.”
Then:
“I became the reason she needed to.”
Sentence:
Seven years six months effective custody after merger/credits, three years supervised release.
Not life.
Then Patricia had to choose.
Trial or plea.
She chose trial.
Not because innocent.
May you like
Because she could not accept being called criminal for actions she believed were “helping her son.”
That trial forced every family assumption into daylight.
