Judge orders Rep. Aldridge to pay for aunt estate losses (MI)

TUPELO – State Rep. Brian Aldridge owes  $218,355 to his aunt, whose estate was plundered by Brian’s father while he had  her power of attorney.

Chancellor Michael Malski today ordered Brian to  pay Florence Aldridge the money because, the judge said, even though Brian was not personally liable for the more than $522,000 she lost to Louis Aldridge,  Brian was legally responsible for whatever happened through the charity through  which Louis funneled some of her money.

Brian is chief executive officer  of Touched By An Angel Ministries Inc., which operates a camp for disabled  children and adults near Tupelo. His father was once the charity’s chief  financial officer.

“Brian breached his duty as an officer of Touched By  An Angel Ministries Inc. and is individually liable to Florence,” Malski wrote  in ordering the total judgment amended.

Brian’s attorney, T.K. Moffett of  Tupelo, could not be reached for comment immediately after the order was  filed.

Florence, a 67-year-old Tupelo piano teacher, sued Brian, Louis  and Louis’ wife Janice a few years ago after she discovered that her estate  she’d entrusted to Louis, her brother-in-law, was gone.

Last December,  Malski ordered Louis and Janice to repay Florence $552,000 and the charity  Touched By An Angel Ministries Inc. to repay her $140,100 which came from  Florence’s estate.

However, the judge dismissed Brian from any financial  damages, saying that while the legislator should have known about the source of  the charity’s finances as its chief executive officer, he had no legal  obligations to his aunt.

Today’s ruling answers Florence’s attorneys,  Rhett and Frank Russell of Tupelo, who came back to court to return Brian to the  damages judgment.

Malski’s total comes from $140,100 Louis deposited into  the charity from Florence’s estate, plus another $78,355 Louis flowed into the  charity from his legally defunct for-profit business, TBAAM Enterprises Inc. It  wasn’t immediately clear why the total wasn’t $218,455.

In their  eight-page request to the court, the Russells insisted that Mississippi law  deems participants in a defunct corporate entity liable for its debts and  claims.

Florence also asked for Brian’s liability when she claimed he  “fraudulently and unlawfully” benefited from her estate as the charity’s  CEO.