Twin Sister Therapists Sentenced for Bilking County Out of Thousands Through Fake Therapy Sessions

REDWOOD CITY, CA — Twin sister therapists who took a plea deal for charging San Mateo County for therapy sessions with victims of violent crime that never happened are disputing how much they owe, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Wednesday.

The twins, 39-year-old Lorie and Marlie Palmer, were both sentenced to 4 months in jail and 3 years probation by Judge Elizabeth Lee on Wednesday, Wagstaffe said. They both turned over checks for over $27,000 for restitution.

That was the amount that prosecutors initially said the two sisters owed when they were charged in April, but Wagstaffe said that his office now has found that Lorie Palmer owes more than $160,000 while
Marlie Palmer owes over $60,000.

Marlie Palmer's attorney, James Stevens, said an audit by the state's Victim Compensation Board turned up more losses than was initially revealed in the district attorney's investigation.

He said his office will continue to discuss the matter with prosecutors to try and come up with a solution that everyone thinks is fair. Otherwise, a full restitution hearing will be held in the coming months.

The sisters pleaded no contest to misappropriation of public money and grand theft in June. For over two years they were on a referral list to provide therapy for victims of violent crime. They both submitted bills for
sessions that never happened.

Before the charges came to light, Marlie Palmer offered bilingual therapy for depression, stress, anxiety and coping with trauma and abuse, among other things.

"My work includes helping people whose lives are being taken over by worry, those who are self-critical, procrastinators, people struggling with compulsive behavior, and those who face recurring difficulties in
relationships," she wrote.

Stevens said that both sisters expressed remorse at their sentencing hearing Wednesday and are looking to move on with their lives and contribute to society.

"These are two people who have spent their entire lives trying to help an underserved population," Stevens said, calling the crime "a mistake and aberration for how they lived their lives before this incident."

The sisters' jail time might be served in a work alternative program, Stevens said. They will begin serving their sentence in October.

— By Bay City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.