Woman must pay restitution after swindling grandparents
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The state Court of Appeals said a woman who swindled $400,000 must pay restitution even though her victims don't want the money back.
Dawn Meredyk bilked her grandparents and great-uncle out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
She pleaded guilty to swindle and forgery and agreed to pay her victims $400,000 in restitution in exchange for avoiding a 3 and a half year prison term.
After two years, Meredyk paid them less than $1000 yet her grandparents went to court and asked the judge to drop the restitution requirement.
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They said the debt was destroying their granddaughter and they wanted her to have a chance at a better life.
The judge added a condition that allowed the victims to decide when the granddaughter had satisfied the debt regardless of what she actually paid.
The state appealed.
The appellate court said the judge went too far in adding the condition because it seriously altered the original agreement.
