CARROLLTON, Texas – A financial advisor in Texas is facing murder charges for allegedly killing one of his clients that he is also being accused of bilking, along with at least 8 others, out of more than $1.9 million.
Keith Ashley, 48, is accused of murdering Jim Seegan, 62, on Feb. 19 to gain control of his finances, according to a news release from the Carrollton Police Department on Wednesday. He was arrested on the wire fraud charges last week and is being held at the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office without bail, the release said.
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This month, a federal grand jury indicted Ashley on six counts of wire fraud. Court records show that Ashley pleaded not guilty to the wire fraud charges in an initial court appearance on Tuesday.
Carrollton police said Ashley staged Seegan's death to make it appear to be suicide by placing a handgun in Seegan’s left hand and leaving a typed note beside the body, according to an arrest warrant. The last sentence of the note said, “My last friend Keith Ashley will help you” with Ashley’s phone number included.
Seegan’s wife, Sakida Seegan, told investigators her husband was right-handed and didn’t own a gun.
An autopsy report showed Seegan had Etomidate, an anesthetic, in his system, according to the warrant. At the time of Seegan's death, Ashley worked as a nurse at City Hospital at White Rock in Dallas.
In the Ponzi scheme, Ashley is accused of cheating investors out of $1,919,334.79 and using the money for personal use, including mortgage payments, casino spending and student loans, according to court documents. Five of those people were older than 65.