Ojai Man Convicted of Theft From Estate

Former Ojai City Councilman Clifford Hey faces a possible prison term after conviction on 29 counts of embezzlement, perjury and filing false documents in probate proceedings.

Hey, 57, executor and co-trustee of the $1.5-million estate of Eleanor Veevers, was found guilty Friday of taking more than $200,000 from the Veevers estate in a series of transactions and then lying about what he did.

To Ask Prison Term

Peter Kossoris, the Ventura County deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case, said Saturday that he would seek a prison term at a Jan. 31 sentencing hearing. Hey’s attorney, George Eskin, said he would ask for probation.

Hey, an Ojai City Councilman from 1970 to 1974, did not testify at his trial and declined to comment.

“The jury concluded that he had taken advantage of a position of trust and that the books did not indicate good faith on his part,” said Eskin. “Most of the money . . . was not paid back until the investigation began.”

The prosecution argued that Hey, Veevers’ accountant for more than 20 years, was living beyond his means and manipulated her accounts, siphoning off more than $200,000 for personal benefit.

The defense argued that Hey had her permission in a series of verbal agreements forgiving loans before she died. Hey’s lawyer said Hey believed he had Veevers’ permission to continue using her money after her death as well.

Transactions Cited

A day or so before Veevers died in March, 1982, Hey wrote three checks from a Veevers account: one to himself for $10,000; another for $500 to a private school where his wife was director, a third for $10,000 to a woman who took care of Veevers, Kossoris said.

Five days after Veevers died, Hey took an additional $30,000 from Veevers’ account, and showed a lowered balance in her accounts on the day of her death, Kossoris said.

“It was our contention that (Hey’s explanations) were just lies--that she never forgave him the debts; that she never gave him this Christmas gift, and as to the money he took . . . even if some was loans, that he knew it was improper and that some of the money he never intended to pay back at all,” Kossoris said.

Eskin said it was premature to say whether Hey would appeal.