A popular Las Vegas real estate agent was sentenced to prison last week for defrauding an elderly man with dementia out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
KLAS reports that Sophia Smith, 50, convinced the victim, 90-year-old Cornelius “Connie” Hoffmans, that they were in a romantic relationship.
A Clark County jury found Smith guilty of theft, credit card fraud and exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person.
District Court Judge Carly Kierney warned Smith that if he breached his probation within five years he could face further prison time, giving him six months in prison and a suspended sentence of 12 to 30 years. He was sentenced to a year's imprisonment.
Smith, who was previously recognized as a “real estate agent with a purpose” by MyVegas Magazine, admitted to manipulating the Hoffmans to feed his gambling addiction.
Prosecutors said Smith called Hoffmans her “best friend” in a Facebook post and mentioned her support for the Strong ARM Foundation, a nonprofit that allegedly raises money for underprivileged women and children. Emphasized involvement. The foundation, described as fraudulent by prosecutors, funneled nearly 90 percent of its donations directly to Smith.
Smith stole $638,000 from the Hoffmans and used it to pay off his home, RV and gambling debts.
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Smith bought the house for $275,000 using the Hoffmans' money. The Hoffman family later acquired the property and RV through civil litigation.
Smith is openly gay, and court documents revealed that Hoffmans believed the two were romantically involved. Ms. Smith expressed her regret for not disclosing her sexual orientation and apologized for manipulating, deceiving and taking advantage of her “best friend.”
In addition to his prison sentence, Smith was ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution to the Hoffman family. Mr. Smith has not been charged with any crimes related to the nonprofit organization.
— Ted Glanser
