My fathers partner let a family member manage her finances after her partner died. She should have been mortgage free many years ago and in a good financial position now. It has come to light by my father realising that something was not quite right and investigated that some family members been forging her signature, taking out loans, taking money out of her accounts and credit cards, using her money to finance there lifestyle and business ventures. When confronted they have gotten nasty and tried to punish her by excluding her from there lives. Anyway, they have left a massive paper trail and lots of proof of what they have done over many years. They have given the family every opportunity to apologise and to own up for there actions. My question is how do they go about getting her money back? What is the best action to take? They do not have much money. (country New Zealand)

In the USA you'd get an attorney (an attorney that works criminal cases or corporate should be ok) and have that attorney's private investigator do the legwork to prove the loss and then take that woman to court. Doesn't mean you'd get your money back (could mean just judgments against what she owns, if she still owns anything). See your father should have been way more sensitive to "doublechecking the books and accounting system) from the beginning of the company. If it was theft then the partner's wife should get jailtime. It's not a good thing to get a free attorney. You'd need not just advice but also to make the case. And after there is proof of the theft you'd have to write up and submit a police report and provide that to your lawyer.

Sounds like a criminal act to me, in the US one might win a judgement in civil court, but collecting the money can be a more difficult matter.

report them to the police/bank for fraud.

You may not get money taken from accounts back, but loans/credit cards from the bank ,she isn't liable for and repayments on those should be reclaimable.

They won't voluntarily give the money back or apologize. You'll have to speak to a lawyer.

Get a lawyer TODAY. I think most of them will work for nothing, unless you win your case.