NON-PROFIT TRUST COMPANY
ACCUSED OF STEALING
MILLIONS DOLLARS FROM
NEW
MEXICANS WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS.
BUT A BIGGER CHALLENGE
LIES AHEAD... AS THE
STATE NOW TRIES TO
RECOVER THE STOLEN
FUNDS..
WHILE FAMILIES ARE
RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO
PAY DAY-TO-DAY BILLS.
CHRIS MCKEE HAS THEIR
STORY, ON SPECIAL
ASSIGNMENT.
Donna Burk 22:01 "This
is devastating" 22:03
FOR DONNA BURK..
YOU CAN )T SUGAR COAT..
THE FINANCIAL MESS SHE
AND OTHER FAMILIES
ARE FEELING..
BECAUSE OF WHAT AN
ALBUQUERQUE TRUST
COMPANY IS ACCUSED OF
DOING.
Donna Burk 17:16 "To me,
this is like a mass
murder, because... the
people that did this
took life from 77
people" 17:27
BURK )S 96 YEAR OLD
MOTHER IS JUST ONE OF
THE PEOPLE.. MISSING
CRITICAL
CARE-TAKING FUNDS THAT
THE NON-PROFIT TRUST
"DESERT STATE LIFE
MANAGEMENT" WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING
OVER... BUT IS NOW
ACCUSED OF
STEALING.
Donna Burk 18:10 "It
it )s just terrible 18:12
it )s terrible" 18:13 IN
ALL... STATE REGULATORS
BELIEVE DESERT STATE
LIFE
MANAGEMENT..
AND IT )S C-E-O PAUL
DONISTHORPE DIVERTED
ABOUT FOUR-MILLION
DOLLARS INTO PERSONAL
AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS
HELD BY
DONISTHORPE... AS FAR
BACK AS 2006.
THE PRIVATE MONEY
DONISTHORPE WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE LOOKING AFTER...
IS MEANT TO PAY THE
BILLS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
PEOPLE WHO CAN )T DO IT
THEMSELVES.
FOR BURK...
Donna Burk 17:14
"There )s definitely an
impact" 17:16
MONEY MISSING FROM HER
MOM )S ACCOUNT IS
CRITICAL FOR
PRESCRIPTIONS.. MEDICAL
CARE.. AND HOUSING COSTS
09:50 Chris McKee How
much money should be in
there about right now?
09:52 Donna Burk Right
now, just under 32
thousand, something like
31 thousand 925 dollars
and cents 09:58 Chris
McKee
How much is in there?
10:01 I )m told zero
10:02 ( (short exhale ( (
10:03
INVESTIGATORS FOUND
D-S-L-M )S MONEY PROBLEMS
EARLIER THIS YEAR..
DURING A STANDARD REVIEW
OF THE TRUST.
SINCE FEBRUARY..
NO ONE HAS HEARD FROM
PAUL DONISTHORPE..THE
MAN WHO WAS
RUNNING D-S-L-M.
Judge Nan Nash 23:33
"The court will issue
the permanent
injunction" 23:37
BERNALILLO COUNTY
DISTRICT JUDGE NAN NASH
RECENTLY GRANTED
THE STATE FULL CONTROL
OVER "D- S-L-M"...
DONISTHORPE WAS A NO
SHOW AT THE HEARING.
THE RULING NOW MEANS THE
STATE CAN START THE
PROCESS OF
RECOVERING CLIENT FUNDS.
BUT THAT HAS ITS OWN
PROBLEMS.
THE STATE BELIEVES
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS IN D-S-L-M MONEY
IS LOCKED AWAY.. IN
INVESTMENTS DONISTHORPE
MADE.
Kevin Graham/Enforcement
Counsel, NM RLD 01:06:17
"We have our under...
substantial belief that
there
are assets located in
the state of Texas that
are tied up into both
real estate there as
well as cattle, and
some cattle that have
been bred" 01:06:30
DONISTHORPE )S CATTLE
BUSINESS... IS CALLED
"CORAZON PITCHFORD" AND
ADVERTISES CATTLE FOR
SALE ONLINE
WITH DONISTHORPE )S
CONTACT INFORMATION ON
THEIR POSTERS.
SINCE THE STATE DOESN )T
HAVE THE MONEY TO HIRE
SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE
WORK...
FINANCIAL REGULATORS SAY
THEY )LL LIKELY HAVE TO
DECIDE HOW AND
WHEN TO SELL
DONISTHORPE )S BOVINE
INVESTMENTS.
Kevin Graham 01:06:36
"Do we really want to be
as receiver in the
cattle business for
another six months or
so, until those cattle
have their calves, and
they become worth more?
Or do we try to sell
those
faster?" 01:06:45
THE STATE IS ALSO
LOOKING TO RECOVER FUNDS
.. THOUGHT TO HAVE
BEEN SPENT ON
DONISTHORPE )S OFFICE
PROPERTY IN DOWNTOWN
ALBUQUERQUE ON FOURTH
STREET..
AND HIS 900-THOUSAND
DOLLAR HOME IN ANGEL
FIRE.
THE F-B-I HAS FILED TO
SEIZE BOTH PROPERTIES.
WHILE THE PROCESS MOVES
THROUGH THE COURTS...
VICTIM )S... LIKE DONNA
BURK...
Donna Burk 00:12:57
Well.... (sighs (...
12:58
...ARE STRUGGLING WITH
WHAT )S NEXT
Donna Burk 00:12:59
"Number one, keeping it
a secret, number two,
trying to figure out how
I )m going
to make up those.. that
money 13:04
BURK.. WHO WORKS FULL
TIME.. AND CARES FOR HER
MOTHER... WAS
RELIANT ON THE
33-THOUSAND DOLLARS SHE
THOUGHT SHE HAD TO PAY
FOR HER
MOM )S MEDICAL COSTS.
BY JANUARY... SHE )S
EXPECTING TO RUN SHORT
ON MONEY.
Donna Burk 00:14:18 "Now
there )s more medical
costs, there )s more food
cost, the utilities, my
fear are... will I
be able to keep her
cool? 14:26 Will I be
able to keep her warm?"
14:29
SHE REFUSES TO TELL HER
MOM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
TO HER
TRUST.. FOR FEAR OF HOW
SHE )LL REACT.
Donna Burk 15:37 "If she
ever found out about
this, it would
absolutely devastate
her" 15:42 FOR NOW..
BURK SAYS SHE )S LEANING
ON HER FAITH.
Donna Burk 13:15 "God
promises us in his word
to fret not when the
evil doers seem to
prosper 13:21 and
to rest in the lord and
trust and do good and
you will be fed, and I
believe that" 13:27 BY
NEXT MONTH.. THE STATE
COULD HAVE A BETTER IDEA
OF JUST HOW MUCH
THEY MAY BE ABLE TO
RECOVER.
ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT..
CHRIS MCKEE.. KRQE NEWS
13.