Attorney steals millions, severely disabled San Antonio woman among the victims
Victims of indicted attorney Robert Graham suffer hardship
 |
Wheelchair bound, with cerebral palsy since birth, Sharona Dagani no longer takes frequent trips to buy groceries and attend church. |
I write you about a most amazing young lady, Sharona Dagani. Because of medical malpractice in the birthing process, Sharona was born in New York with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy. As her mother, I made claims against the doctors and litigation in New York stretched out over a five-year period. Eventually, we were able to obtain a settlement for Sharona, with the expectation that the settlement would provide for her, and her special needs, throughout her life. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case.
Throughout her short life, Sharona has courageously faced, and overcome, many obstacles. In addition to dealing with the physical deficits resulting from her cerebral palsy, not only affecting her ability to move, but her ability to speak, Sharona excelled in school. However, she has suffered two double eye surgeries, at pp. 3 and 10. That was followed by cancer at the age of 12. After Sharona beat the cancer, she had to undergo double hip surgery. Somehow, through all of this, she managed to be a Girl Scout, to attend Hebrew school, to become a Bat Mitzvah, and graduate high school at the age of 16.
Throughout this, Sharona was constantly in speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy, therapies that proved to be at times difficult, if not painful. Sharona always faced her challenges with courage and optimism.
Before Sharona’s 18th birthday, I served as her court-appointed guardian. I consulted with a financial planner to determine the best ways to invest Sharona’s funds so as to assure that she would have a means to provide for her special needs throughout her life, and was shocked to learn that unless something was done differently than we had been doing through the guardianship, the cost of Sharona’s maintenance and therapies would leave her bankrupt before she was 27 years old. I was horrified and, with the assistance of the financial planner and counsel, created a special needs trust for Sharona that would allow her to maintain her government benefits and the proceeds from her injury settlement.
The special needs trust was created and the managers were most competent, assuring that the principal of Sharona’s trust would never have to be accessed, and that she would be provided for without having to reach the trust principal. Through this process, Sharona and I had achieved peace of mind, knowing that her money would work for her, and would provide for her throughout her life.
When Sharona turned 18, the guardianship terminated as a matter of law. Sharona, who is most capable intellectually, retained an attorney to act as her trustee and to manage her funds. Unfortunately, that attorney was Mr. Robert Graham.
After time, Mr. Graham became late in providing Sharona with money and caused her great concern when he told her that her money was running out. We now know that Sharona’s money is gone, because Mr. Graham, in whom Sharona had the utmost trust and confidence, stole her money.
Mr. Graham is now in jail, facing charges arising out of his theft of Sharona’s funds, and the theft of funds of many of his other clients.
Sharona’s situation is compelling, and heartbreaking. Having her money was the difference between Sharona living an independent life, or becoming institutionalized. As Mr. Graham knew, Sharona needed her funds and deserved her funds, as small compensation for all that had been taken from her as a result of her birth-related injuries, and to provide her with the independent living she so desires. Graham’s theft of Sharona’s money has now left her destitute, and without the financial ability to provide for herself and her special needs.
Sharona, who is now residing in Texas, continues to face these challenges with grace and dignity, well beyond her years. As her mother, I am sending as much money to her as I can (I live and work in New York) and we speak to each other 2 or 3 times a day. While Sharona is confronting this horrible situation with courage, she lacks funds to have her especially equipped van repaired, leaving her housebound for much of the time. She has had to give up many of the things that she enjoyed her daily life,, including luxuries such as cable television, and has trimmed her necessities to the very minimum.
I pray that Sharona’s story is of public interest and of interest to you. Please feel free to reach me at 702-499-4046 , or through Sharona’s counsel, Mr. Scott Michael Cantor, at 702-527-5500
Most Sincerely,
Joan Albstein, Sharona’s mother.