Scottsdale man indicted for allegedly defrauding disabled best friend

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A Scottsdale man entrusted to care for a disabled man is accused of fraud and theft. He is now behind bars, as the Arizona Attorney General's Office says the suspect cashed out on a vulnerable adult's benefits.

It took four years once Adult Protective Services concluded its investigation to get to this point. Now criminal charges have been filed against Samuel Buot Jr.

According to his family, the victim thought Buot was his best friend and loved ones say they are finally catching up on lost time.

What they're saying:

Kristen Dabroi still remembers that day in 1980. The day her younger brother's life changed forever. Shawn Percy was 14 and the family was on vacation in the Midwest. But that day, Shawn suffered a traumatic brain injury at a hotel.

"Didn't realize that they had just hosed off the pool area, and he just went down, and he crashed on his head," Kristen said.

Kristen says after the accident, Shawn spoke incoherently.

"It turned out that there was a blood vessel that had broken. And it formed a large clot the size of a grapefruit in his head," she said.

So much has changed over the last 46 years.

"He is forever disabled with a traumatic brain injury. He was an athletic, happy-go-kid back in the day," Kristen added.

The backstory:

61-year-old Samuel Buot met Shawn in high school, according to Kristen, and once the two boys became adults, Shawn gave Buot power of attorney.

"Under the guise of, 'hey man, I'm gonna be your best friend. It's gonna be so cool if you live with me. You don't have to live with your parents. You can have freedom. I'm gonna make you rich.' But that was all a fallacy because that money was not used for my brother," Kristen stated.

Kristen and her husband, Jim, say the distance between Shawn and his family kept growing.

"It's like trying to save someone who's drowning. The lifeguard swims out there and the person drowning pushes them away," Jim said.

And communication with Shawn was non-existent.

"Every time we tried in earnest to embed ourselves back in his life, you know, Sam would be a barrier to that," Jim added.

Timeline:

Between 2020 and 2021, the Dabrois say a nurse caring for Shawn at a facility noticed something about Buot's behavior and filed a formal complaint with Adult Protective Services. That led to an investigation. In April 2022, Buot was placed on the APS registry, a public database listing individuals who APS has substantiated an allegation of abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Officials say Buot exploited Shawn by illegally using his resources for profit, making purchases and withdrawals totaling at least $150,000. But before being listed on the registry as a perpetrator, a court order separated Buot from Shawn and his healthcare annuity.

By the end of May 2026, Buot appeared in court shortly after being arrested, indicted on several charges including fraudulent schemes, theft, and unlawful use of power.

The grand jury indictment says between 2008 and 2022, Samuel Buot defrauded Shawn, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars between Shawn’s funds, Medicaid benefits, and Social Security. The Arizona Attorney General's Office is prosecuting the case. A source close to the situation, who wants to remain anonymous, says Buot carried an entrepreneur image.

"Sam cared about looking successful than actually being successful. He surrounded himself with people he believed that he could influence or control," the anonymous source said.

And this source says they witnessed control over Shawn and his finances.

"Shawn's vulnerability made him easy to influence, and Sam took advantage of that trust. And the decisions about Shawn's care and finances were not in Shawn's best interest," the source added.

"My hope is that the full truth comes out. I want people to finally see the pattern of the behavior that he has harmed so many. And I hope that this case brings real accountability," the source said.

What's next:

Buot has pleaded not guilty and remains in a Maricopa County jail on a $500,000 bond. FOX 10 reached out to the attorney assigned to Buot's case for comment, but the attorney's law firm cannot confirm or deny representation.

"Seeing him for the first time in many years in the courtroom with his Maricopa County issued black and white stripes and hearing the chains, very surreal. He didn't seem like he had the power anymore," Kristen said.

Buot's trial is currently scheduled for October 2026. Shawn's family says he's doing better despite what's been described as betrayal as they wait patiently for justice.

"We've seen no evidence of remorse. Even when Adult Protective Services stepped in and finally disconnected him from Shawn. So, I have no message for Sam," Jim said.

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