Updated: Couple Pleads Guilty To Stealing $1.4 Million From Orphans' Trust Fund
Daniel and Merily Pompa are sentenced to 16 years probation.
A former Cranberry couple pleaded guilty today to stealing from their adopted children's trust fund to support a lavish lifestyle, said Allegheny County District Attorney spokesman Mike Manko.
Chiropractor Daniel Pompa, 46—who had a practice and wellness business in Wexford—and his wife Merily Pompa, 44, were charged in October 2010 with looting the trust funds of the twins, who were orphaned in 2003 when their biological father killed their biological mother and then committed suicide.
Following the murder-suicide in Florida, custody of the children was awarded to the Pompas. Merily Pompa is a cousin of the children's mother, Lisa Phillips.
The Pompas, who eventually adopted the children—and remain their adoptive parents today—began to systematically spend $1.4 million from a large trust fund that had been set up for the children after they lost their parents, Manko said.
Bob Stewart, attorney for the Pompas, acknowledged his clients misused the funds, but said the money was used to support a comfortable lifestyle enjoyed by everyone in the seven-member family. In addition to the 15-year-old twins, the Pompas have three biological children, Stewart said.
"It certainly wasn't a crime of greed," he said. "They used the trust fund for the entire family when it was supposed to be exclusive for these two."
After obtaining custody of Olivia and Dylan Phillips, the Pompas did not seek legal counsel on the trust fund, which Stewart estimated at more than $1.4 million.
Had they done so, the couple would have been better informed on the specifics of what the money could be used for, Stewart said.
"If there had been better checks and balances, this would never have happened," he said.
Stewart said the Pompas used the trust fund money for buying a home for the family in the North Hills and then a larger home in Cranberry.
The couple has since filed for bankruptcy. The home in Cranberry went into foreclosure and the family now lives in a Seven Springs condo they bought years ago, Stewart said.
Appearing Wednesday before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kevin Sasinoski, the Pompas pleaded guilty to eight counts of misapplication of entrusted funds and were sentenced to 16 years probation.
They also were ordered to repay $1.4 million.
When contacted by Cranberry Patch, Merily Pompa referred questions to Stewart.
Johndoe100
9:34 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Probation???? Take the same from a bank or store and be sentenced to jail. What a messed up system. The kids lost both their biological parents at once and this couple steals their money???? That's worse than stealing from a bank or store!
michelle hitchens
10:36 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
I hope to God the twins (in spite of brainwashing) seek out the grandparents when they are 18. The theft of their rightful inheritance by these religious hypocrites is the most dispicable act of greed I am aware of in years.
Mark A.
11:37 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Agreed, Michelle. This fake doctor sells bogus health advice and steals from his children, yet claims to be a good Christian. Funny how the God stuff gets set aside when it comes to personal greed. Mr. Pompa should be in jail.
david a
12:21 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Any details on the probation? What are they prohibited from, medical practice or something else?
Babybunny
1:23 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
"It certainly wasn't a crime of greed," he said. "They used the trust fund for the entire family when it was supposed to be exclusive for these two."
The trust fund was set up for the twins to have access to when they were a specific age, not for ANYONE else to have access to it to use as they please. And not a crime of greed? Excuse me? Have you seen the list of expenditures this couple systematically drained this trust fund to purchase? Only one of the items (bedroom furniture) was specifically for the twins, the rest were either for the family or lavish luxuries:
A $24,000 Bose home theater system, a $1,000 donation to the Santorum Victory Committee and a $26,000 payment to Mercedes Benz Financial.
Other payments:
• More than $125,000 to North Way Christian Community
• $9,500 to Bobby Rahal Motorcar Co.
• $4,900 to Cranberry Township
• $73,000 to Eden Christian Academy
• $30,000 to airlines
• $49,000 to Saks Fifth Avenue
• $6,000 to Body by God
• $172.54 to Aladdin's Eatery
• $15,000 to Pompa Health Solutions
• $450 to Al's Ski Barn
• $35 to Image Nails
• $1,140 to Bed, Bath & Beyond
• $70 to The Capital Grille
• $1,665 to Tuscany Village Vacation Suites
• $6,300 for a dining room set
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Raggityann
12:47 am on Sunday, October 7, 2012
Stealing the money isn't the worst of it. They secretly adopted the twins (no notice to Lisa Phillips' family) which essentially terminated all of Lisa's family's biological rights and legally "kidnapped" Dylan and Olivia. They have forbidden Lisa's family any contact with their only grandchildren and brainwashed Dylan and Olivia against their mother's family.
LOVEJESUS
11:47 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Maybe some of this is true, but Dr. Pompa has helped alot of people. I personally have been helped through some natural remedies versus the traditional medical route, and I am thankful toGod for leading to some better ways. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge others. None of us are perfect, and we all are capable of making bad decisions. "Do not judge,or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2
LOVEJESUS
11:58 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Oh, and I forgot say. We Christians are not religious hypocrites. We are just sinful people who mess up like everyone else. We just happen to have salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank God that He forgives us when we mess up, because this side of heaven, we'll never be perfect.
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ through all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short off the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24