Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, the ex-fiancée of Aaron Hernandez, is being accused of mishandling trust fund money set aside for their daughter. According to The Boston Globe, the allegations were made by an attorney overlooking the trust, David Schwartz.
$36K on clothing.
$39K on home goods.
$25K shopping online.A court-appointed trustee said the former fiancée of Aaron Hernandez spent these amounts on herself from a fund meant for the couple's daughter.
A battle over who controls the money has ensued. https://t.co/IyZ5B3WsWA
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) January 4, 2023
Jenkins-Hernandez’s Alleged Misspending
Matters began to unravel in September when Jenkins-Hernandez said she couldn’t afford her daughter’s $10,697 bill for dance lessons. Jenkins-Hernandez then asked trustee David Schwartz to pay the bill with money from Avielle’s trust fund. But Schwartz declined.
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According to him, Jenkins-Hernandez was already receiving $150,000 a year or more from Hernandez’s NFL pension. And Social Security payments which were intended to pay for Avielle’s daily expenses. The trustee couldn’t fathom why Jenkins-Hernandez would need additional money.
Then he decided to review her spending records.
Schwartz uncovered $36,858 spent by Jenkins-Hernandez on clothing and maternity wear. An additional $39,347 was spent on home goods. Another $25,577 was spent shopping online. And $11,792 was spent in the name of “self care” — this included gym fees, visits to hair salons, and nail salons.
An attorney representing Schwartz, named Robert O’Regan, shared his thoughts on the mother’s alleged misspending.
There is reason to question whether the expenditures were for Avielle’s benefit. To be fair, this little girl should have a decent life with what her father left for her. No one would complain if there were reasonable expenses. We’re talking about over-the-top or otherwise unrelated expenses to Avielle.
Jenkins-Hernandez Responds To Trust Fund ‘Mishandling’ Claim
Schwartz and the mother are now battling to determine “who controls the money that remained after the death of Hernandez.” As The Shade Room previously reported, Hernandez was found hanging from his prison in 2017. The disgraced New England Patriots player was serving time in prison for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. At the time, he was recently acquitted in a separate murder case.
When Schwartz declined to pay Avielle’s dance lesson bill with the trust fund money, Jenkins-Hernandez asked a Bristol County probate judge to remove him as trustee. She argued that he was “potentially forcing the child to give up her favorite extracurricular activity.”
Jenkins-Hernandez maintains that she “hasn’t improperly spent money.” And it should be available to her when she needs it.
The mother shared an exclusive statement with The Boston Globe.
Since Aaron’s death, my sole focus has been on raising and providing as stable a life for my children as possible. All monies I have spent have been with this singular focus in mind, and this will continue to be my focus going forward.
Schwartz Stands His Ground
However, Schwartz maintains that Jenkins-Hernandez has acted wrongly. And asks that she be removed as Avielle’s conservator. According to The Boston Globe, if the mother loses that role, a new conservator would receive both Hernandez’s pension and Social Security checks. That person would then have control over how that money would be spent.
According to the outlet, Jenkins-Hernandez does not presently have a job. But has managed to acquire expenses such as $4,800 in charges at Harrods Department Store. ATM withdrawals in the amount of $29,650. And bank charges in Athe amount of $13,778.
Schwartz was “particularly concerned” that Jenkins-Hernandez reported spending $39,655 on education. The amount included $3,720 for Bay Path University, a private university in Western Massachusetts. However, Avielle is not in college.
According to Schwartz, Jenkins-Hernandez also spent $12,830 on an expense labeled “Ask My Accountant.” Neither Jenkins-Hernandez nor her lawyer would further explain what the expense particularly entailed.
Schwartz’s attorney argues that Jenkins should be removed as a conservator over the trust funds for her daughter. Avielle is eligible to receive the funds when she turns 25. The trust currently sits at $700,000.
I believe that (Jenkins-Hernandez) has been co-mingling the child’s funds with her own. I believe that Ms. Jenkins-Hernandez’s ongoing conflict, her almost five-year-long record of excessive expenditures, continuous violation of this court’s decree… and her failure to file an inventory and up to date accounts all indicate that despite what might be her best intentions, Ms. Jenkins-Hernandez is not effectively performing her duties as conservator.
