Woman accused of exploiting elderly family member for more than $95,000

Liela Legendre

LAFOURCHE PARISH- Authorities arrested a woman who is accused of exploiting an elderly family member for a large amount of money.

Earlier this month, detectives opened an investigation into 58-year-old Liela Legendre after a report was filed alleging she was exploiting an elderly family member for which she had power of attorney.

Authorities learned that Legendre has placed the man, who is in his 90s, in a nursing home and had taken over his finances. Another family member discovered several instances where the elderly man's finances were used by Legendre for her own personal use.

Detectives discovered multiple instances of accounting discrepancies amounting to more than $95,000, according to the release. One of the instances included a check made out to cash for $20,000 documented as being for future funeral expenses, but no money had been paid to the funeral home.

Authorities had also learned that Legendre had traded in the man's mobile home as a down payment toward the purchase of her own mobile home. When speaking with the victim, they learned he didn't authorize Legendre to make any of the transactions.

Legendre was arrested and booked with exploitation of the informed. She was released after posting a $5,000 bond.

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Woman accused of exploiting elderly family member for more than $95,000