Lafayette man pleads guilty to stealing $1.5M from disabled sister

A Lafayette man pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $1.5 million from an insurance settlement his sister received while she was incapacitated.

Kevin Ralph Andrus, 37, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of wire fraud. According to the guilty plea, Andrus, after being appointed as the curator for his sister’s estate when an automobile accident left her incapacitated and unable to manager her own affairs, stole $1,495,078 of settlement funds his sister received from a lawsuit related to her automobile accident. After partially recovering from her injuries, Andrus’ sister discovered that settlement funds had been transferred to the defendant’s own personal and business accounts even though he made an oath to spend the money only on approved expenses for the benefit of his sister.

Andrus faces 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date was not set.