Woman accused of coercing man into marriage for his money pleads not guilty

A woman accused of coercing a 78-year-old man with dementia to marry her so she could gain access to his bank account pleaded not guilty this morning to three felony charges.

Sujinda Yahatta, 56, appeared in King County Superior Court with co-defendant, Kulany Roeksbutr, 29, who also pleaded not guilty.

Both women are charged with first-degree kidnapping, attempted theft and obtaining a signature by deception or duress. Roeksbutr was allegedly acting as Yahatta's translator during the Nov. 22 wedding ceremony.

If convicted of the three felonies the women could each face up to seven years in prison.

According to court paperwork, the women told employees at Greenwood Point Adult Family Home in Issaquah that they were taking the man out for lunch on Nov. 22. Issaquah police say they instead took him to a Bellevue courthouse, where he and Yahatta were married.

Their next stop, say police, was a nearby Bank of America branch. Once there, police say, Yahatta tried to close out the man's bank account, but was foiled by suspicious bank employees.

When police interviewed the man after the wedding he was confused about what was going on and said that he didn't know either woman, according to a police report. Several days after the wedding, the man told authorities he didn't remember marrying to Yahatta, police said.

The Times is not naming the man because of his vulnerability.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com