HAMILTON, Mass. — A former MIT professor and business executive was convicted Tuesday in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from his late son’s estate.
Essex County prosecutors said 80-year-old John Donovan Sr., of Hamilton, forged 25 documents, including will codicils, deeds, land transfers, mortgages and releases of judgements against him at the Registry of Deeds in December 2016.
The forged documents would have absolved Donovan of a Superior Court judgement against him, released him from a mortgage, given him land worth $5 million from his late son’s estate that was intended for a conservation group and allowed him to play a role in his grandchildren’s lives.
Prosecutors said Donovan is estranged from his children, and Donovan’s son did not want his father to have anything to do with his family.
“The jury is to be commended for their hard work in understanding complicated evidence,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement. “The general public relies upon the integrity of documents filed with the Registry of Deeds. Thanks to the diligence and professionalism of the staff at the Registry, who raised concerns about the documents filed by Mr. Donovan, this fraudulent scheme failed.”
Donovan was found guilty of seven counts of Forgery, Uttering a False Document, False Statement in a Mortgage Process, Obtaining a Signature by False Pretense, False Statement under Penalty of Perjury, and Attempt to Commit Larceny.
“I am grateful to the Essex District Attorney’s Office for pursuing this case, not only for justice for the Donovan children but also to protect the integrity of the recordation system,” Southern Essex Registrar of Deeds John O’Brien said in a statement.
Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, May 16.
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