A New York state appeals court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of Anthony Marshall, who was found guilty in 2009 of siphoning millions of dollars from the estate of his famous mother and socialite Brooke Astor, Reuters reported. The appeals court also rejected a request by Marshall, who is now 88 years old. He hoped that as an elderly first-time offender with medical conditions he should be spared a prison sentence. In October, 2009, he was convicted by a jury of grand larceny for falsifying business charges.
The appeals court upheld all of the charges against him, except for one count of second-degree larceny. Following his conviction, Marshall was sentenced to one to three years in prison but has been free pending the outcome of the appeal. It still has yet to be determined whether the ruling would send Marshall directly to prison immediately or whether his attorneys could seek an extension of his bail pending further legal actions.
Brooke Astor was a lifelong supporters of cultural institutions and charities in New York died at age 105 in 2007. She was married to Vincent Astor and inherited part of her fortune.
Marshall was given tens of millions of dollars and valuable real estate via amendments to her will, coercing to sign it while undergoing Alzheimer's disease, which prosecutors cite in bringing fraud charges against him..
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office said Marshall's trial "underscored the importance of prosecuting elder abuse, particularly financial fraud perpetrated by those close to the victims."
Marshall's attorneys could potentially still seek an extension of his bail pending further legal actions.
Marshall is an American theatrical producer who also was a former U.S Marine, CIA intelligence officer and ambassador. He was vice president of the Vincent Astor Foundation, which was established by his stepfather.
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