Richard Dale Radcliffe, a former restaurant owner from Lake Sammamish, was sentenced on Mar. 10 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 30 months in prison for wire fraud and filing a false tax return after stealing $515,000 from an elderly woman he befriended. The announcement was made by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd.
The case highlights the risks faced by vulnerable seniors who may be targeted for financial exploitation by those they trust. Authorities said Radcliffe took advantage of the victim’s cognitive decline and lack of family support to gain access to her finances.
According to court documents, Radcliffe developed a relationship with the widow after learning about her wealth. He arranged for a friend to serve as her power of attorney while maintaining control over her bank accounts and eventually became the beneficiary of her will. Judge Lauren King said at sentencing, “(The victim) trusted and believed that you would use her money for her care… You used your access and control over accounts to enrich yourself…. You exploited her for your gain to the tune of half a million dollars.”
Radcliffe used the stolen funds for personal expenses including real estate purchases, gambling, travel, and restaurant operations. He also convinced his friend acting as power of attorney to liquidate more than $800,000 from the victim’s retirement account under false pretenses. After the victim moved into assisted living and later passed away in November 2020, Radcliffe moved into her waterfront home valued at $2 million and inherited her estate.
Following the victim’s death, Radcliffe attempted to claim life insurance benefits by posing as her deceased spouse—a move that led the insurance company to alert federal authorities. Local investigations had already begun after concerns were reported to Washington State Adult Protective Services and the King County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Grace Zoller wrote that “at its core, this case is about taking advantage of someone in their most vulnerable state.” When filing his taxes in February 2021, Radcliffe failed to report $437,000 he embezzled from the victim’s accounts, resulting in an unreported tax liability of $124,000 owed to the IRS.
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office said: “It was exceptionally cold-hearted of Mr. Radcliffe to prey on this victim’s loneliness and age… But ultimately, Mr. Radcliffe’s greed caught up with him, resulting in today’s well-deserved prison sentence.” Carrie Nordyke from IRS Criminal Investigation added: “While Mr. Radcliffe’s victim is unfortunately no longer with us, we’re glad the public knows her story.”
Radcliffe must pay restitution totaling $124,000 to the IRS and will be subject to three years’ supervised release following his prison term.
