UPDATE: Ledyard Woman Convicted In Scam of Montville Retiree

Joanne Skok, one of two people charged with swindling the former president and treasurer of the Montville Fair out of $40,000, was convicted of first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny Friday .

A jury found Skok, a 62-year-old Ledyard resident, guilty after less than an hour of deliberation, according to The Bulletin.

Skok will be sentenced on Aug. 9 and may face up to 40 years in prison. Her husband, 59-year-old John Skok, is also charged in the scam and will be tried separately. His next court date is June 20.

Original story:

Jacqueline Becker, former president and treasurer of the Montville Town Fair, alleges that John and Joanne Skok, of Ledyard, scammed her out of $40,000.

The Ledyard couple was charged in 2011 with first degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny after Becker’s grand daughters reported that their grandmother was the victim of an alleged scam involving FBI agents, mobster John Gotti and a South African diplomat, according to reports on The Day newspaper.  

According to the report, Becker became close with Mrs. Skok while she was president of the Montville Town Fair, where Mrs. Skok was a volunteer, and over time handed over $40,000 of her life savings to the couple following requests for money for various purposes including investigators and other fees like closing costs for John Gotti’s house and money for a courier who would be delivering a check to Becker.  

The scam was reported by Becker’s grand daughters who are close with her. The couple is being tried separately, Joanne Skok's trial is ongoing.  

To read the full account in The Day newspaper, click here and here.