COUPEVILLE, Wash. — Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story had an error. Greg Banks is the Prosecutor and Doug Saar is the Defendant.
A former Oak Harbor attorney has pleaded guilty in two cases in which he stole money from clients’ estates.
Charges against Douglas Saar included money laundering and theft.
Prosecutors say Saar shifted clients’ money to hide the thefts and used their funds to pay for a lavish lifestyle.
At his sentencing Friday, the state asked for a 17-month prison sentence to send a message to white collar criminals.
Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks said Saar “lived way beyond his means” saying Saar even stole money from a dead client’s purse.
Saar’s attorney accused Banks of going after Saar because of his allegiance to Saar's former law partner. Banks denied the allegation.
Banks said Saar stole about $100,000 from each client and took his family to Hawaii with some of the money.
A family member of a client, Kevin Upton, was overcome with emotion as he spoke about losing his father with dementia and having Saar steal from his trust.
KIRO
