Dementia sufferer's gay best friend, 66, scammed her out of millions and used cash for PLASTIC SURGERY, cops say
A Pennsylvania man stole $3.7 million from a woman with dementia and used the cash to fund a jet-set lifestyle and plastic surgery, according to prosecutors.
James Batt, 66, of Flourtown, is accused of swindling Alice Lineman out of millions of dollars both before and after her death.
Lineman died in 2019 at the age of 92 and Batt was named as the executor and recipient of 45 percent of her estate.
His alleged scam came to light after Lineman's relatives tried to sue him for failing to pay out their inheritance.
An investigation by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau found that Batt, who was a friend of Lineman's, was aware of her senile dementia which required her to have a live-in aide.
He was one the largest beneficiaries of her estate and was named the executor and trustee.
Prior to her death, Batt splashed $30,000 on Lineman's American Express account, changed the mailing address for the account to his Flourtown residence and added his boyfriend Joseph Spanarelli an authorized user on the account, according to the investigation.
He also withdrew more than a million dollars from two of Lineman's bank accounts after she died, prosecutors allege.
Pennsylvania man James Batt stole $3.7 million from a woman with dementia and used the cash to fund a jet-set lifestyle and plastic surgery, according to prosecutors
Batt, 66, of Flourtown, is accused of swindling Alice Lineman out of millions of dollars both before and after her death
Once Lineman died Batt allegedly continued writing himself checks to the total tune of $3,715,318, according to the criminal complaint.
He spent the cash on, 'extravagant travel, hotels, gourmet restaurants, theater tickets, wine and spirits, shopping at high-end stores and plastic surgery', Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said. It is unclear what cosmetic procedures Batt underwent.
'This defendant took advantage of an elderly woman suffering from senile dementia by stealing more than $3.7 million from her and from her estate, thereby draining the assets available to Ms. Lineman, her estate and her heirs,' said DA Steele.
'Through our prosecution of this egregious crime, we will hold Batt accountable for living extravagantly on money that should have gone to Ms. Lineman's family.'
Except for one $150,000 disbursement to Lineman's niece, Batt did not pay out the inheritance according to prosecutors.
Batt was removed as Lineman's trustee by the Honorable Lois E. Murphy, who also ordered Batt to appear and to turn over estate assets, which he refused to do.
Judge Murphy found Batt in contempt of court in 2023 and again March 19, 2025 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Batt is charged with multiple felonies including Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult, Theft by Unlawful Taking, Receiving Stolen Property, Misapplication of Entrusted Property and Theft by Failure to Make Required Dispositions.
Batt was the executor of Lineman's estate but allegedly failed to pay out her relatives' inheritance, instead splashing cash on a luxury lifestyle
He also withdrew more than a million dollars from two of Lineman's bank accounts after she died, prosecutors allege
He was arraigned on April 21, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge Dara A. Nasatir, who set bail at $99,000 cash.
At a bail review hearing, Court of Common Pleas Judge Wendy G. Rothstein left the bail unchanged and added a provision regarding the source of bail money to make sure that Batt could not use funds from Lineman's estate.
Batt was unable to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. He is due back in court May 6.
