Judge Orders $7M Judgment In Statewide Probate Fraud Scheme

A King County Superior Court judge has ordered two individuals and their companies to pay more than $7 million after finding them liable for orchestrating a fraudulent, years-long probate scheme that targeted the estates of deceased Washington residents and diverted funds away from rightful heirs.

Judge Suzanne Parisien ruled that John B. Elliott, Shanelle Sunde, and their associated businesses — Probate & Administration Services LLC, Aurora Creek Ranch LLC, and Sunde Consulting LLC — violated Washington’s Consumer Protection Act and probate laws by engaging in deceptive and unfair practices. The court also issued a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from acting as probate administrators in the future.

Between March 2019 and January 2024, the defendants exploited legal loopholes to obtain appointments as third-party probate administrators in about 200 estate cases, mostly filed in Kitsap County. In doing so, they gained control of estate assets without notifying the rightful heirs. They sold at least 90 estate homes collectively valued at more than $28 million, collecting excessive and unjustified commissions and fees. In some cases, the defendants moved funds between trust accounts to obscure their activities.

According to the court, Elliott also personally took or sold property from the estates, including a Jaguar sedan, a Mazda Miata, a Rolex watch, firearms, jewelry, fur coats, and household furniture. Heirs were often unaware that probate proceedings had been initiated or that their relatives’ assets were being liquidated.

“People shouldn’t have to worry about loopholes in the law that leave them or their family members vulnerable to fraud and abuse — especially during times of grief,” said Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “I’m happy that the work of our office will provide some solace to families.”

One of those families includes Sandra Allen, whose sister Judy Bass died of colon cancer in 2016. Bass had lived in their childhood home in Burien until her death. Without Allen’s knowledge, the defendants took control of Bass’ estate through the probate system and received $110,000 from the sale of the property. Before the court froze their assets, they had drained more than three-quarters of that amount.

“You think how many people they’ve done this to — it makes you mad,” said Sandra Allen. “I was so happy when I found that out, because I thought, ‘What is the average person going to do?’”

Judge Parisien ordered the defendants to pay over $4 million in restitution within 30 days of the judgment, which was filed on Oct. 3. The Washington Attorney General’s Office will manage the distribution of recovered funds to impacted estates and consumers. An additional $3 million in penalties, attorney fees, and legal costs must also be paid to the State of Washington.

The ruling resolves the state’s civil claims against Elliott, Sunde, and their companies in a case brought earlier this year by the Attorney General’s Office.

Probate is the legal process by which a deceased person’s assets are transferred to heirs or beneficiaries. If the deceased had no will, the court appoints an administrator to manage the estate, which includes paying debts, selling property, and distributing remaining assets. The court found that Elliott and Sunde abused this system for personal gain, targeting vulnerable estates with no immediate family oversight.