Wife poisoned over squandered jackpot
A Toronto-area doctor was convicted of poisoning his 66-year-old wife for squandering $5 million she won in a Canadian lottery, Toronto media reported.
Sentencing was set for April 25 for gynecologist Joseph Roncaioli, 72, for the 2003 poisoning death of his 66-year-old wife, Ibi in July 2003, The Toronto Star reported Monday.
The woman shared a $10 million jackpot with her hairdresser in 1991 and prosecutors told a jury northeast of Toronto in Newmarket on Saturday that her husband was furious she had frittered the money away.
Asked to explain needle marks found on her legs and feet, Roncaioli testified he injected his wife with painkillers to numb her arms so he could draw blood to determine why her health was in rapid decline, the report said.
He said he had also injected her with painkillers twice before she died.
The court heard the woman had alcohol and drug dependencies and that the couple lived virtually separate lives in their mansion, the newspaper said.
The jury deliberated for two days before finding Roncaioli guilty of manslaughter. There was no report of the maximum sentence Roncaioli could receive.
Dang, I'd consider that justifiable homicide. If my spouse were frittering away millions I'd probably file for divorce and try to get half before it was all gone.
He was a gynecologist. There was no need for him to be doing"tests" on her to see why her health was declining. He may have been giving her more then painkillers. Maybe that is why she was getting sick and now is dead.
ETA:
"Dang, I'd consider that justifiable homicide."
Sorry, I can't agree with that.
Very sad story.
maybe homicide of the marriage..
People have killed spouses for a lot less. I once saw the statistics and they're alarming.
This story sounds similar to the Claus von Bulow case where he was accused of injecting his wife, Sunny, with insulin.
Yes this is indeed sad. But it also proves the point that not all women are good at managing money. Some men manage money well as does a smaller percentage of women. Some women blow though money as does a smaller percentage of men. Whether you agree or disagree with that is irrevelevant, but it is true. I have noticed there are more and more high profiled cases of women mismanaging money lately, whether it is featured on those investigative shows on A&E or the breakup of celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neal and his soon to be money siphoning ex-wife. But I do agree that it is a shame that either men or women would mismanage money.
There is a difference between managing small money as to large money. Everyone has weakinesses.
Old SchoolPa---Maybe I am misunderstanding you here, but the statement you made about women is incorrect. I hope you aren't using TV programs as your only source. Most reliable financial publications will tell you that, as a rule, woman handle money more prudently than men. When asked, most men & women will talk about Mom and how she kept a warchful eye on the family budget. The stereotype you bring up is why many people don't believe a woman can run the country and fix the economy.
Okay...next you mention "high profile women." You mean like Oprah? (yeah, she's really bad with money. LOL) How about J.K. Rowling? (another self-made billionaire) Ever eat one of those Mrs. Fields chocolate chip cookies? There's a woman behind every delicious bite! I think we've all heard of eBay, right? But do you know who the CEO & President is? A woman named Meg Whitman, also a self-made billionaire. (and the list goes on and on....)
Another example you give (Shaq's wife) is one of those Entertainment Tonight and TMZ stories. He has a 5 yr $100 million contract. That doesn't include the millions he gets for endorsements. The home they shared (with their six children, 4 that they had together) has an estimated value of $32 million. After 5 years of marriage and giving birth to his 4 children, he ordered an investigation of all the money & property she had accumulated during the marriage and filed for divorce. Now he's out partying in Miami. (poor baby!) To me he doesn't look too broken up about the whole thing. By the way, let's say she did secretly hide his money. This certainly doesn't mean she mismanaged it..quite the opposite in fact. The reason he wanted her investigated is that she socked away a lot in securities, bearer bonds and offshore accounts. Smart lady!
Jack Whitaker and David Edwards aren't women.
There are cetainly women that handle $$$$$ better than they did.
Its possible this tragic story could be made into a movie for the Lifetime network.
I could see that happening.
Yes! Mission accomplished! I knew I would get someone wound up in a tizzy with my comments! Anyway, I never said there weren't any wealthy women or women who couldn't manage money well. I am just so glad you didn't mention Suzy Orman...she preaches one thing to the masses but she lives differently from her advice.
Anyway, I would point out that there are more billionaire men than there are billionaire women. But I am not trying to make this a tick for tack post. I do give props to women for holding it down in single households...I was raised by my single mother. But I also realize that if I were a single father, I would make some different decisions about money than what my mother made in raising me. Namely I would pluck a single dollar down in any whole life insurance policy for my kid, but I would instead invest a lump sum in a trust and specify that my child could not access it until age 40. That lump sum investment would be my intent to set up my child's retirement so that my child would be free to pursue whatever profession he/she wanted to without having to worry about what they are going to do when the time comes that he/she cannot work or don't want to work (which is the reason for the age 40 specification). Oh and I wouldn't exactly call anybody a self made millionaire or billionaire...everyone had help along the way!
I would point out that there are more billionaire men than there are billionaire women.
Duh? Of course. There is a very good reason for this. I really didn't plan to get into a debate on this, and I'm not is a "tizzy" about it. I just said your statement wasn't accurate and that some of your examples were poor. Example: Shaq awarded primary custody of his 4 children to his wife (it was his suggestion) while he gets liberal visitations, so he can't possibly think she's irresponsible.
if I were a single father
Well, you obviously are not! A single parent is a Mom/Dad, a housekeeper, a nurse, a teacher, a cook... you get the picture. So now you know what I meant by "there is a very good reason for this." I suggest you rent the movie Kramer vs Kramer.
I wouldn't exactly call anybody a self made millionaire or billionaire
I disagree. Sure we all get help. But I gave those above examples because they started out with nothing. Rowlings was a single mother on welfare. Oprah was very poor. I could have listed many more wealthy women who inherited their fortunes. I can't stand Paris Hilton, but she actually didn't blow any of her inheritance. She knew what the public wanted and gave it to them and turned herself into a commodity.
I would instead invest a lump sum in a trust and specify that my child could not access it until age 40.
Nah, I won't answer this one! Too silly. However, after you have children and you pay for all the diapers & formula, the orthodontic work, the school supplies, the college tuition, the weddings...then maybe we'll meet back here and continue this conversation.