Hays Woman Pleads Guilty To Mail Fraud in Dispute Over Will

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman pleaded guilty today to mail fraud in a scheme to make it appear that when her employer died he left half his estate to her, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Wanda Oborny, 66, Hays, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. In her plea, she admitted that in 2013 she mailed a fraudulent purported codicil of Kansas banker Earl O. Field’s will to Ft. Hays State University. The document falsely claimed Field had left a fourth of his estate to the university, a fourth to his lawyer and half to Oborny. In fact, Field left the majority of the estate to the university.

Sentencing is set for May 29. Both parties have agreed to recommend Oborny be sentenced to a year on federal probation and ordered to pay $1,200 to the university. McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.