SANTA ANA — One could say that stealing over $1.8 million is not smart. 41-year-old Brian Smart, who used to sell life insurance, now finds himself in state prison for 15 years.
Living up to his name, Smart pled guilty to 12 counts of theft. These counts involved at least 5 of his elderly former clients. Part of his setence involves repaying $1,810,508 in restitution to his victims.
The investigation began in 2008 after “an elderly victim’s monthly interest and dividend payments had ceased.”
Furthermore Smart, her agent, did not have “legitimate records documenting what he did with the victim’s money.”
The investigation that AIM/Smart and Smart Assets, LLC in Orange County purported to “manage money.” The suspect supposedly did this “by investing in insurance annuities and other safe investments.”
The thief’s 2006 move to Utah did not stop the ruse. In fact, he would “issue some victims periodic interest or dividend payments.” However, these false signs of good faith stopped in 2008.
Authorities arrested Smart in 2012 in Utah for trial in Orange County. Although Smart had an agent license from 1999 to 2007, hr let it lapse and did not renew it.
