In a shocking case of suspected exploitation, former nurse Abha Anuradha Kumar has been ordered by the Australian Supreme Court to return a significant inheritance she received from a 92-year-old patient she knew for just 24 days.
Kumar, who worked as a manager at Cambridge House, a care facility in Collingwood, met Lionel Cox in July 2015 when he arrived at the home.
Within days, she learned that Cox, who had no known immediate family, owned property and had not made a will. She convinced him to write a new will, using a will kit and recruiting two staff members as witnesses.
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The controversy began when Cox, who had no known heirs, died in August 2015 from pneumonia.
Shortly after, Kumar was listed as the informant on his death certificate, and she was granted probate over Cox’s estate, which included his home in Victoria.
However, doubts quickly emerged regarding the legitimacy of the will. A lawyer for Cox’s cousin argued that the inheritance was made under “the most suspicious circumstances imaginable.”
In response to these concerns, the Supreme Court revoked Kumar’s management of Cox’s estate and ordered her to return the remaining $800,000 from the inheritance.
The decision followed a legal challenge filed by State Trustees, who claimed that the will did not reflect Cox’s true intentions.
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Kumar, who was banned from working as a registered health practitioner in 2019 following misconduct allegations, has now been stripped of the substantial inheritance.
Initially valued over $1 million, the estate has decreased due to legal fees and administrative costs, including a $150,000 charge for the 2019 hearing.
Geoffrey Cox’s lawyer, James Dimond, emphasized the significance of the case, stating, “This is a rare situation involving a medical professional, but elderly and vulnerable people are often pressured to sign dodgy wills and other legal documents.”
