How the assistant to an elderly art collecting couple swindled them out of $2 ... trends now
An elderly New Jersey couple with a passion for art has lost more than $2 million thanks to a thief who served as their personal assistant.
Raphael, 92, and Jane Bernstein, 87, are known for their prominent art collections.
According to the Daily Beast, their collections have been shown in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Hood Museum at Dartmouth.
The couple hired a part-time assistant to help them manage their funds and to help them with general technology issues.
The assistant was clearly savvy in swindling funds, which eventually led to his arrest in January for wire fraud, along with a lawsuit filed against multiple credit card companies earlier this week.
The assistant of art collectors Raphael, 92, and Jane Bernstein, 87, swindled the elderly couple out of $2 million and began committing fraud in 2018
(James Gillray, Temperance Enjoying a Frugal Meal) Their collections have been shown in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Hood Museum at Dartmouth
(Soga Shohaku, Mt. Fuji with Sunrise and Pine Tree) The assistant was arrested in January and has been charged with one count of wire fraud
Raphael and Jane announced their engagement in 1962, and were married in 1963.
While Raphael worked at an investment banking firm, Jane became a teacher in Ridgewood after she received a master's degree from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania.
Together, they created art collections that the Hood Museum said features 'European, Japanese, and North American photography, paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture.'
'They have dedicated much of their lives to searching and researching, conserving and sharing, and acquiring and giving away spectacular examples of the many art worlds they find interesting,' the museum website continued.
Their collections from the Hood Museum eventually found their way into other places and were featured in an exhibition at Harvard University.
While the Bernsteins' total net worth is unclear, their assistant stole $2.9 million, which would be a substantial sum even to the wealthy.
Raphael and Jane announced their engagement in 1962, and were married in 1963. The pair eventually created several collections, with many of them being featured at the Hood Museum
Pieces from their collections from the Hood Museum were selected for an exhibition at Harvard University
The art collectors hired their assistant and part-time library employee in 2018.
Other than keeping track of funds and dealing with technology issues, the assistant managed the Bernstein's email.
The civil
