Tulsa Probate Attorney Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $587,000 From Multiple Estate Accounts

U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams, Sr., announced today that Christopher Ivor Mansfield, 38 of Tulsa, a disbarred Tulsa County probate attorney, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to bank fraud and money laundering charges.  Mansfield embezzled $587,000 from probate estate accounts according to an information filed on September 29, 2016. 

At his change of plea hearing, Mansfield admitted that, from August 2012 to October 2015, he used fraudulent pretense to obtain money entrusted to the Bank of Oklahoma by diverting assets from probate estate accounts using: unauthorized checks made payable to himself; unauthorized transfers of funds from the probate estates; and the unauthorized depositing of checks into his business and personal accounts. Mansfield admitted he used the stolen money on personal expenses, mainly American Express credit card purchases and to support his drug habit

“Mr. Mansfield chose to violate and abuse his position of trust as a probate attorney.  As a result, he embezzled $587,030 from eleven probate estates or guardianships,” said U.S. Attorney Williams.

At the time of the alleged crimes, Mansfield was a licensed attorney in the State of Oklahoma who was court-appointed in probate cases.  He served as a personal representative in probate cases and was responsible for overseeing the financial affairs of multiple probate estates.

Mansfield will face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for the bank fraud charges and a maximum penalty for 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the unlawful monetary transaction charge.  In addition, the Court could enter a restitution order and a criminal forfeiture money judgment, each in the amount of $587,030.

The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles McLoughlin and Catherine Depew.