The two men who have cared for the brother of the Parkland school shooter were arrested in Virginia Wednesday for exploiting the brother, according to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office.
Richard Edward Moore and Michael Paul Donovan, both 45, were released on bonds of $50,000 each, records show.
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WATCH HEREZachary Cruz’s name has come up frequently in testimony during his brother’s sentencing hearing. He and Moore were expected to testify for the defense, but they were never called.
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Zachary was arrested in 2018 for visiting the memorial outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Upon Zachary’s release from jail, Moore and Donovan offered to care for him in Virginia.
Now they are accused of exploiting him financially.
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The Cruz brothers stood to inherit about $428,000 from their adoptive mother’s estate, when Linda Cruz died in November 2017.
While in jail, Nikolas Cruz frequently talked on the phone with Moore. Recordings of some calls that were played in court showed Moore expressing interest in Nikolas Cruz signing over the rights to his story for a book or movie.
Nikolas Cruz declined.
Timothy Wayne Donovan, Santos Vicente Putul-Ax, and Timothy Wayne Shipe were also arrested in Virginia and accused of obstructing justice, obtaining money through false pretense and conspiracy to commit a felony, according to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office.
