The son embezzles his parents – takes all their assets

A British couple embezzled their parents’ money so they could live a luxurious life. Now Gary and Diane Mansell have to go to prison.

A British couple have been sentenced to six years in prison for fraud. Gary Mansell and his wife Diane indulged in a life of luxury for years – at the expense of Gary’s parents.

A Liverpool court convicted the 61-year-old man and his 58-year-old wife of fraud and embezzlement. British media reports revealed that the couple dreamed of becoming “millionaires” and lived a life they could not afford in reality.

Gary Mansell was given power of attorney over his parents’ bank account in 2017 after his 77-year-old father Fred fell and his 75-year-old wife Enid was diagnosed with dementia. The elderly couple then moved in with their son and his wife. Gary Mansell also sold his parents’ house and kept the proceeds for himself.

According to a report in the British Mirror, the Mansell family lived in luxury for the following years. They have flown business class around the world several times, including to Egypt, Barbados and Jamaica. In New York they stayed at the Grand Hotel. They ate at fancy restaurants, ate oysters, and drank champagne regularly. At home, Diane Mansell drove a gold BMW and her husband drove a Range Rover. She owned expensive designer bags from Chanel and Louboutin.

While the couple used Fred and Enid Mansell’s savings to fund their luxurious lifestyle, the retired pensioners subsisted on takeaway food and lived a secluded life in the annexe of their son’s home.

In the end, there were only a few cents of £117,000 left in the parents’ bank account (equivalent to about €134,000). Passing sentence, the judge said: “You did not care much for your parents. To you, they were simply a cash cow who enabled you to live this lifestyle.”