Money Mysteriously Missing from Estate, Beneficiaries Want Answers

Five beneficiaries of Arlene Bowsher’s $900,000 estate recentlyappeared before the Milwaukee County Circuit Court to recoup over $180,000missing from the estate.

Before her death, Bowsher instructed executor Rick Guerard toshare half of his inheritance with the five beneficiaries.  The beneficiaries include friends of Bowsher,the Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order, and Feeding America EasternWisconsin.  The beneficiaries were set toinherit about $68,000 each, but “the Capuchins received no money, and theothers were shorted by about $30,000 each, court records show.”

Shortly before executor Guerard died, he moved over $105,000from Bowsher’s estate into his own accounts. Guerard’s attorney Mitchell Barrock collected almost $260,000 in feesfrom Guerard’s inheritance, despite a 2009 court order mandating thebeneficiaries be paid before Barrock received fees.

The new executor of Bowsher’s estate is asking the court tofind Guerard’s trust or Barrock in contempt for failing to pay thebeneficiaries in full.

See Cary Spivak, Estate Funds Shifted to Executor’s Account,Lawyer Says, Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, May 23, 2013.