(Citrus County, FL) Earlier this morning, 58-year-old Robin Joanna Bell was sentenced after being found guilty by a jury in June for stealing her ex-husband’s retirement funds. The Honorable Judge Joel D. Fritton sentenced Bell to 25 years for Grand Theft over 100,000, 20 years on the two counts of Fraudulent Use of Personal Identification Information, 20 years for Witness Tampering, and 5 years for Forgery of a Public Record. Her sentences are set to be served concurrently.
Additionally, Bell was ordered to pay the victim restitution in the amount of $153,000 and will be placed on probation for 15 years following her prison term.
“In today’s sentencing, we acknowledge the serious consequences of financial crimes that erode trust and devastate lives. The defendant’s actions have stolen not only her ex-husband’s retirement savings but also his sense of security after a lifetime of dedicated service to his community,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “While justice has been served, it is important to recognize that no prison sentence can restore what has been taken from him. This case serves as a reminder that betrayal, especially by those we once trusted, carries significant repercussions.”
Back in July of 2021, the victim reported to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) that their ex-wife, Bell, had committed fraud by filing forged documents to obtain retirement benefits against a court order. In 2015, when the victim and Bell were finalizing their divorce, Bell requested half of the victim’s retirement since the victim was currently retired. At the time, Bell was not retired, however, the victim was and was currently receiving benefits.
The victim agreed to the request, only on the premise that they would then also receive half of Bell’s retirement when she officially retires. A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) was filed and the judge finalized the terms, with each legally entitled to half the retirement of the other party. With this new court order, Bell began to receive half of the victim’s retirement benefits.
By December 2020, the victim received notice that Bell had retired. As a result, the victim contacted the Florida Retirement System (FRS) to begin receiving half of the benefits. To their surprise, they were informed that FRS had received a document with the victim’s signature on it, signing over all rights to the account to Bell. Additionally, there was another document provided by Bell to FRS for the same purpose, that was not notarized but did have a witness signature. The victim then contacted law enforcement to file a report.
CCSO Detective Thomas Dowling was assigned to investigate the case and discovered that the notary stamp on the document was fraudulent. Despite attempts to contact the suspect, Bell, and her attorney, no response was received. Detective Dowling sought assistance from Agent Bruce Arnold of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who located a witness that confirmed the document was forged.
While out on bond, Bell attempted to have the victim drop the charges and was subsequently charged with tampering.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Patsey Jacobs and Tara Hartman.
Published on 10/16/2024.