% Former Chicago Judge Sentenced for Stealing $246,000 From Tuskegee Airman to Buy Bitcoin

Former Cook County judge Patricia Martin has been sentenced to four years of probation after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $250,000 from a 96-year-old Tuskegee Airman to fund her cryptocurrency investments. Martin, who previously presided over Chicago’s child protection division, used her power of attorney to drain the life savings of Oscar Lawton Wilkerson Jr. between 2020 and 2022.

NEW: Former Illinois Judge Patricia Martin avoids jail time, sentenced to probation, after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from 95-year-old WWII veteran Oscar Wilkerson. pic.twitter.com/aDrPjcbTzj
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Court records indicate that Martin systematically closed Wilkerson’s bank accounts and retirement funds, transferring more than $115,000 into Bitcoin held in her name. The theft came to light only after a senior living facility terminated Wilkerson’s residency due to $41,000 in unpaid bills.

Disgraced judge violates court orders for crypto

The court heard that Martin continued to move funds into cryptocurrency even after a judge ordered her to halt all transactions during a civil investigation. In addition to her probation sentence, the 66-year-old former judge has been ordered to pay $122,763 in restitution to Wilkerson’s estate.

A separate civil judgment initially ordered Martin to pay $1.1 million in damages, triple the amount stolen, due to her “continued unresponsiveness” to court hearings. However, Martin appealed the judgment following Wilkerson’s death in February 2023, arguing that the lawsuit should be dismissed because the plaintiff is no longer alive.

Case highlights growing crypto elder abuse

The case mirrors a rising trend of “crypto-flipping,” where traditional assets are converted into digital currencies to exploit perceived anonymity. According to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Martin intentionally made false statements to Wilkerson’s physician about his account balances to mask the ongoing theft.

Martin was officially disbarred in September 2023 after admitting that the evidence would “clearly and convincingly” establish her misconduct. Despite her conviction, family members of the late Tuskegee Airman remain frustrated that she continues to draw a government pension while they fight to recover the remaining stolen funds.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin is staging a countertrend rally after a sharp sell-off, but its staying power is uncertain without sustained new capital inflows to break the broader bearish trend.

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