MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. — A Flourtown man is behind bars after prosecutors say he stole $3.7 million from a woman with dementia and used the money to bankroll a luxurious lifestyle.
James Batt, 66, is accused of defrauding Alice Lineman, a 92-year-old dementia patient, both before and after her death in 2019. Batt, a longtime friend of Lineman’s, was named executor and received 45% of her estate—but prosecutors allege he took much more.
The scheme unraveled when Lineman’s relatives filed a lawsuit over unpaid inheritance distributions, prompting an investigation by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau.
District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said Batt exploited Lineman’s mental state, using her American Express account for personal purchases, adding his boyfriend Joseph Spanarelli as an authorized user, and changing the billing address to his own home.
“This defendant took advantage of an elderly woman suffering from senile dementia by stealing more than $3.7 million from her and from her estate,” said DA Steele. “We will hold Batt accountable for living extravagantly on money that should have gone to Ms. Lineman’s family.”
After Lineman’s death, Batt allegedly continued writing himself checks totaling $3,715,318, without proper authorization. The funds were spent on luxury travel, gourmet dining, theater tickets, high-end shopping, wine and spirits, and even plastic surgery, prosecutors said. The specific procedures Batt may have undergone were not disclosed.
Despite being removed as Lineman’s trustee by Judge Lois E. Murphy, Batt reportedly refused to comply with court orders to return the estate’s assets. He was held in contempt in both 2023 and again on March 19, 2025. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.
Batt faces multiple felony charges, including:
Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult
Theft by Unlawful Taking
Receiving Stolen Property
Misapplication of Entrusted Property
Theft by Failure to Make Required Dispositions
He was arraigned on April 21, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge Dara A. Nasatir, who set bail at $99,000 cash. During a bail review, Judge Wendy G. Rothstein ensured Batt could not use estate funds to secure his release.
Unable to post bail, Batt was remanded to Montgomery County Correctional Facility. He is scheduled to appear in court again on May 6.
