“We have also,” my attorney went on, unhurried, “filed an emergency petition freezing all assets connected to Jessi Mercer’s estate.

And the corporate receiving account belonging to VLM Lifestyle Holdings has been legally restrained, pending criminal investigation.”

The bank fraud specialist set his folder open on the counter.

“We’ve traced the secondary transfers, Mrs.

Mercer.

A substantial portion of the funds taken from your mother-in-law’s retirement was spent on luxury retail purchases.