Donna Adelson Trial: Clariza Spoltore Testifies on Dental Office Payments and Family Finances

The Trial of Donna Adelson took a turn into the world of the Adelson family’s dental practice when Clariza Spoltore—a longtime dental assistant who worked for Dr. Harvey Adelson for forty years—took the stand. Her testimony gave jurors an insider’s view of the Adelson Institute, the family-run office where both Harvey and Charlie Adelson worked, and where financial dealings may have overlapped with the murder-for-hire plot against Dan Markel.

Spoltore testified that throughout her decades of service, she never saw Katherine Magbanua—the woman prosecutors say acted as the go-between in the murder plot—working in the office. Yet, Magbanua appeared to receive payments tied to the practice, raising serious red flags. Spoltore also explained that only Donna and Dr. Harvey Adelson had access to certain records, underscoring the level of control they maintained over finances and administration.

On cross-examination, the defense pressed Spoltore on whether she had ever heard Donna speak poorly of Dan Markel. She said no—she had never personally witnessed Donna express hostility toward her former son-in-law. But prosecutors argue the real issue wasn’t casual remarks, it was the money trail and the financial records Donna could manage behind closed doors.

Why does this matter? Because Spoltore’s words help connect the dots between the Adelsons’ professional lives and the conspiracy prosecutors allege Donna orchestrated. If Magbanua was being paid without working, those payments could represent hidden compensation for her role in the plot. With her credibility as a loyal employee of four decades, Spoltore’s testimony added weight to the prosecution’s theory that the family’s dental business wasn’t just about dentistry—it was also a financial vehicle for covering up a murder-for-hire scheme.

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