Anna Nicole judge hit with civil suit

MIAMI, June 17 (UPI) -- A former Florida judge manipulated an elderly Fort Lauderdale woman to gain hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and property, a lawsuit alleges.

The defendant in the case is former Broward Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin, who gained famed for his at times bizarre handling of a custody battle involving the late Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter. A lawyer for Barbara Kasler, 83, filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday accusing Seidlin and his family of sweet-talking their way into Kasler's life and then manipulating her for money, The Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

The newspaper said the suit also alleges that Seidlin manipulated the elderly woman to be included in her will and of working to break up one of her relationships for fear of losing the inheritance.

The civil suit is the third time the relationship between Seidlin and Kasler has been investigated. A Miami-Dade County investigation found no criminal wrongdoing by Seidlin in connection with more than $400,000 given by Kasler to the judge's family, while last month the Florida Department of Children and Families said it found no evidence of exploitation or inadequate supervision of Kasler.

Seidlin left the bench in 2007, the Herald said.