A woman was charged with perjury after telling attorneys and the court she was her son’s therapist when trying to resolve his criminal case.
Cindy Lu Wolff, 65, Ellettsville, was charged with the felony count this week and arrested.
Investigators found that Wolff had met with the defense attorney and the deputy prosecutor handling the criminal cases of her son, James T. Clair. They discussed a treatment plan, and Wolff said she was Clair’s therapist and had made arrangements for him to go to a recovery center, according to court records. Wolff also repeated that information in court to the judge.
The victim in the case later told the prosecutor’s office that Wolff was Clair’s mother.
In the next hearing, the deputy prosecutor questioned Wolff about her relationship to Clair, who had been charged with battery on a person younger than age 14, strangulation and operating a motor vehicle after forfeiting his license for life. He played a recording from jail conversations where Wolff reminded Clair that she was his counselor, not his mother, and that she had met with attorneys about what is best for her son, saying this was the best lie she had ever told, the records said.
Wolff said she didn’t tell anyone she was Clair’s mother because she feared it would prejudice them and nullify her credentials, court records said. Wolff works as a client support coordinator, including managing benefits and payroll, for a service provider for people with developmental disabilities.
Wolff, 275 W. Main St., Apt. B, was taken to the Johnson County jail, where she was released on $1,200 bond.
