Couple mauled by chimps in 2005 later swindled out of $350K by Myanmar businessman: report

A California mates who made headlines successful 2005 aft they were near disfigured by 2 fierce chimpanzees were later victimized by a Myanmar businessman, who preyed connected their generous natures, pilfering much than a $350,000 from their accounts.

For decades, St. James and LaDonna Davis lived pinch Moe, a chimpanzee they had raised for illustration a son, NBC News reported.

Government officials had Moe removed from their location to a adjacent wildlife sanctuary, wherever nan mates regularly visited nan chimp. During a 2005 visit, 2 different chimps escaped their enclosure, and went aft nan Davises.

One of nan primates spot 1 of LaDonna’s fingers off. Meanwhile, St. James mislaid an oculus and 8 fingers, arsenic good arsenic parts of his nose, buttocks, lips, genitals and feet.

The Davises were ne'er nan aforesaid again. St. James underwent respective operations, but ne'er regained his expertise to walk.

The mates sued, and nan matter settled retired of tribunal for $4 million.

In 2017, nan Davises met a man named Min Zaw Maw, an entrepreneur moving connected a earthy state and propane combustion engine. Maw befriended nan mates and earlier long, told them astir his financial woes.

Maw was later invited to enactment astatine nan Davises home, soon earlier St. James suffered a changeable and was hospitalized.

Once St. James was successful nan hospital, Maw started penning hundreds of thousands successful checks to himself, and squatters started taking complete nan couple’s properties, NBC News reported. The ample withdrawals wouldn’t beryllium noticed until agelong aft St. James’ 2018 death.

In April 2019, societal workers discovered LaDonna successful a feces-riddled room filled pinch spider wasps.

LaDonna was incapable to show societal workers her property aliases what twelvemonth it was.

The couple’s longtime friend Michael McCasland took Maw to court, and alleged successful tribunal documents nan businessman was taking advantage of LaDonna and trading disconnected nan couple’s belongings.

In tribunal filings, Maw denied nan allegations. In fact, he claimed he stepped successful to return attraction of nan mates arsenic their wellness worsened.

A colony was reached successful precocious 2022, granting Maw $175,000 successful rate and each of nan vehicles purchased by LaDonna “and/or costs belonging to LaDonna that are presently successful his possession.”

The colony avoids nan “significant disbursal of further litigation” and secures LaDonna’s assets, a court-appointed conservator wrote successful tribunal papers. 

LaDonna, 80, now lives successful an elder attraction facility, according to nan report.

Authorities are not actively pursuing elder maltreatment charges against Maw, NBC News said.