Can Lawyer Steal Money From Trust?

by Randy Fall
(Midwest City, Ok)

If a lawyer who set up a trust is the co-trustee, can he steal the money from the trust or are there laws to keep him from doing that?

About a year before my father died he put an amendment on the trust to make the lawyer the co-trustee after my mother passes. Before the amendment the succession was to make me or my siblings the co-trustees and then our children. I knew nothing about this change until just recently.

My mother is still alive for now but I don't want to wait until she dies to find out it is too late. My understanding from my father was we would have full control of all the funds and property in the trust to do with what we wanted.