Pittsburgh-Area Mom, Daughter Sentenced After Multimillion Dollar Theft

PITTS BURGH, PA — A mother and daughter who stole more than $4 million from a relative's inheritance money are both going to prison.

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announced that Lisa Valesky, 52, and Angela Valesky, 28, pleaded guilty to theft and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.

The pair was charged by Westmoreland County Detectives in January of 2025 after investigators were contacted by an attorney in reference to funds disbursement from a local woman's estate.

The woman passed away in 2017 and was the president of the former Greensburg Beverage Distributor. An heir believed her mother's estate had not been settled as of November of 2024 and contacted an attorney after failing to receive a payment.

Investigators discovered there was a disbursement hearing held in December 2022 unknown to the victim.

A transcript of the hearing detailed telephone communication between the court and a woman identifying herself as one of the heirs who was assigned to receive approximately $4.4 million of the woman's estate.

According to the transcript, a woman identified herself as the heir and gave verbal authorization for the court to release her $4.4 million dollar check to her sister, Lisa Valesky.

The unidentified victim had no knowledge of the hearing and denied giving permission to have the inheritance turned over to Valesky.

Through investigative means, detectives determined the Valeskys purchased houses, cars and properties as a result of the inheritance scheme.

Common Pleas Judge Michael Stewart sentenced the Valeskys to one to two years in prison followed by 18 years of probation.

The pair has been incarcerated since their arrest and were released after the hearing.

As part of the sentencing, the judge ordered all of the assets purchased by the Valeskys must be transferred to the victim including homes, a Lincoln Navigator, and money being held in escrow accounts.

A restitution hearing will take place in 90 days to determine the valuation of the assets and what the Valeskys still owe to the victim.