79-YEAR-OLD WOMAN SUES MAN ACCUSED OF BILKING HER OF $120,000

JACKSON, Mo. -- A man charged with taking nearly $120,000 from a Cape Girardeau woman through investment fraud is facing a civil lawsuit along with criminal prosecution.

William Glynn Robison, 31, appeared in court Friday for a preliminary hearing. Attorney Steve Wilson said Robison would waive the hearing, which clears the way for arraignment for stealing by deceit on June 4.

Police reports show Robison had developed a business relationship with the 79-year-old woman after her husband died in 1996. Over the course of three years, the woman made several investments leading up to giving Robison $84,201 in March 1999 to invest in the Robison Insurance agency, which he owned.

Although the woman received some checks from Robison, he eventually stopped sending checks or making contact with his client, police said.

In a civil lawsuit, the woman is seeking reimbursement of $117,470.

The lawsuit states nearly all of the money, which was the woman's life savings, had been spent by Robison and his wife rather than invested.

Robison told the woman that the money invested in annuities would be easily refundable upon a 30-day notice, said attorney Ken McManaman, who represents the woman in her lawsuit.

Numerous attempts were made to contact Robison, who lives in Fenton, Mo., without a response, McManaman said in the lawsuit.

In a letter, the attorney requested that Robison return over $100,000 of his client's money, and that the agreements Robison reached with the woman violate state and federal securities laws.

Robison had signed a return receipt for a certified letter sent to his home in Fenton in January, and he had called McManaman twice leaving phone numbers where he could be contacted.

However, it was not possible to contact Robison at the phone numbers, McManaman said.

The lawsuit requests that all of Robison's assets, including real estate in Cape Girardeau, be held in a trust pending a final court ruling.