Springfield man guilty of $150K theft, financial exploitation of elderly

Jan. 18--A Springfield financial adviser accused of stealing more than $150,000 from a 99-year-old woman was found guilty Friday in Sangamon County Circuit Court.

After a five-day trial, a jury found Vaughn Henry, 67, guilty of theft exceeding $100,000 and financial exploitation of the elderly.

The 12 jurors began deliberations at 12:09 p.m. Friday and came to a verdict by 12:50 p.m. Wearing a green sweater vest, white shirt and khaki pants, a bespectacled Henry showed no reaction when the verdict was read.

Henry, who established Henry and Associates in 1977, had a fiduciary role in the affairs of the 99-year-old victim from Jerome. He had specialized in management of livestock and horse-breeding facilities, planned giving, business succession, estate planning and conservation, according to his LinkedIn account.

He took the woman's money in January 2013 to invest it. Henry testified he had a "handshake agreement" with the woman to sell her a 1 percent share in a company developing an animal slaughterhouse in Africa.

But he transferred the funds to his own accounts in late 2013 and early 2014 and spent the money on personal expenses, prosecutors said. The woman died in October 2014.

Henry was indicted in June 2016. Two charges, wire fraud and money laundering, were dropped before the trial began Monday. Henry, whose bond was originally $750,000, spent 11 months in jail before his bond was reduced and he was released.

Sangamon County State's Attorney Dan Wright and Assistant State's Attorney Meghan McCarthy tried the case.

"This was a tragic case of betrayal of trust by the defendant in the theft of $150,000 from an elderly victim," Wright said. "We are pleased with the verdict and thank the Springfield Police Department for their thorough investigation of this case."

At the request of Wright, Associate Judge Rudolph Braud revoked Henry's bond.

Henry was led away in handcuffs to the Sangamon County Jail, where he will stay until his sentencing Feb. 21. He faces up to 15 years in prison.

Henry's attorney Jeffrey Page declined comment.

Family members of the victim hugged Wright after exiting the courtroom. They had no comment.

Contact Crystal Thomas: 788-1528, crystal.thomas@sj-r.com, twitter.com/crystalclear224.

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