Oborny headed to court on mail fraud charges

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

A former Hays bookkeeper who is charged with forging a codicil to her employer’s will in an attempt to gain millions of dollars from his estate is scheduled to be in court next week.

Wanda Oborny is facing mail fraud charges and is scheduled for a status conference in her case at 10 a.m. Monday, March 5, in Wichita. Her trial is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 18 in Wichita before Judge J. Thomas Marten.

A court recently ruled against Oborny, who was seeking a portion of her former employer Earl O. Field’s $20 million estate.

Oborny alleged her employer signed a codicil to his will shortly before his death in 2013, leaving half of his estate to her with a quarter of the estate going to Fort Hays State University and the rest going to Field’s attorney, Joseph Jeter.

However, a district court and appellate court both found the codicil and Field’s signature on it were fakes, clearing the way for FHSU to receive the bulk of the estate, which is supposed to be dedicated to scholarships.

Oborny had also sought more than $1 million in attorney’s fees from the estate. However, an appellate court found she acted in bad faith and she should not receive the attorney’s fees.