Bizarre, Criminal law, Lawyering, Society

Cookman Takes Money From Beverage Account and Falsely Claims Frye Award

xlROMNEY, W.Va. — Suspended Lawyer and Ex-County Commissioner Donald Paul Cookman has now been charged with three counts of embezzlement and four counts of forgery in West Virginia. The charging papers describe what is alleged to be a snowballing disaster for a lawyer in severe financial distress. This includes forging the signature of Mineral County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Frye and taking money given to him by Cheri Beverage. Ok, the puns were irresistible.

Cookman is charged with embezzling funds. He is also accused of forging a variety of signatures, including most notably Frye’s. He is accused of Frye’s signature on fake judgments awarding his clients $1.1 million. It is entirely unclear how he thought he would get away with such an alleged crime.

Cookman allegedly converted $151,199.86 given to him by Cheri Beverage who was acting as power-of-attorney for Marion D. Herriott — ironicallyn the account was from a settlement in an investment scam.

Cookman has agreed to surrender his license.

Marion D. Herriott. In the latter case, ODC alleged that Cookman “improperly and illegally” converted $151,199.86 belonging to Herriott that she entrusted to Cookman via her power-of-attorney, Cheri Beverage, from the settlement in an investment scam.

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5 thoughts on “Cookman Takes Money From Beverage Account and Falsely Claims Frye Award”

  1. Oh , by the way, he has been arrested twice….on paper, signed his own recognance…what a waste. Do you know if he will get his law license back? Read http://www.wvrecord.com and see his pitiful comments…makes me ill. Since he voluntarily turned in his license , it sounds as if in 5 years he may be able to practice again…God help all if he does.

  3. butter:

    Criticism of appearance is the lowest form of insult proving more about the speaker than the subject, but in your case it is even more repulsive since Professor Turley is looking positively Olympian these days given the vigor of debate surrounding your war criminal buddies. Get some glasses. Run along now. Don’t you have fly wings to collect, or some hood making bee with the other miscreants.

  5. “There was the person who sent ten different puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.”

    –Anonymous

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