Niece Accused of Cashing Dead Aunt’s Benefit Checks

While most insurers would say that if a check is ever lost or stolen you should contact hem immediately, but that’s pretty hard to do if you’re already dead. This is very true when considering the case of Ester Martin and her niece, Marilyn L. Pollard.

According to the Hartford Courant, Pollard, who also goes by “Tootsie”, was arraigned in New Haven Superior Court Wednesday after being charged with one count each of insurance fraud, first-degree larceny and identity theft for allegedly cashing survivor’s benefit checks worth more than $327,000.

The major problem with this though, is that Tootsie hasn’t survived anything, but instead just cashed checks that belonged to her aunt. Did we mention that her aunt had been dead for almost 8 years?  

Pollard was allegedly cashing checks made out to Martin from 2002 – 2011. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Martin began receiving the survivor benefit checks in 1986 after the death of her husband. She was supposed to receive these checks –from The Hartford Insurance Company, until she was either remarried or until the time of her death. Although another marriage never occurred, Martin’s niece decided that no one should find out about her death either.

At one point in 2005, The Hartford received a fax from someone saying she was Esther Martin, the warrant says. The woman allegedly stated that she had undergone surgery to have her voice box removed and that the company should contact her daughter regarding her payments.

Apparently the voice box surgery story was good enough to throw Hartford off the trail for a few years.  According to the warrant, sometime in 2006 Pollard called the company and stated that she now had the power of attorney for her aunt.

Investigators found that 435 checks issued between Sept. 4, 2002 and Feb. 16, 2011 were supposedly endorsed by Martin. Many of the checks also had Pollard’s name or “Tootsie Pollard” as the endorser for deposit into Pollard’s accounts, the warrant says. Those checks totaled $327,373.20.

Pollard’s case is set to continue on May 25^th.  Please note that these are merely accusations made against the defendant.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.