The 85-year-old victim adopted Joseph Robinson, at 41-years-old, as his son and gave him power of attorney.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Joseph Robinson reconnected with his much older former neighbor Edward Solstad, in the early stages of dementia, with a pitch to renovate his Minneapolis home.
And after that, the 85-year-old man’s sister says Robinson turned him against his family.
“Edward referred to me as his evil sister. And that just hurt so much because we were so close. And I think worse than the money he stole, the fact he stole my brother is the worst part,” Mary Solstad said.
The money was significant, as Edward wrote check after check to Robinson, who started taking him to doctor appointments.
“At some point, Joe’s influence was so huge, Edward was getting closer to full-blown dementia, and it was – he just got sucked in,” Mary said.
Edward legally adopted the 41-year-old man as his son, gave him power of attorney and signed over his house, with prosecutors tallying $1.6 million the younger man siphoned away. In court, Robinson still referred to Edward as his dad — but admitted to wire fraud.
Prosecutors say the money is gone. They couldn’t trace any of it to be recovered. And Judge Jerry Blackwell allowed Robinson to walk free and turn himself in to prison at a later date, where he will serve a nearly four-year term.
Edward’s family is glad for finality, despite the court process reopening the wounds.
“It just reminded me so much, brought back that my brother is gone, because of Joe,” Mary said.
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