Saturday, January 1, 2022

Former caregiver charged with stealing thousands from 90-year-old York County woman

By Andrew Dys
 

Clover, SC -  A former caregiver in South Carolina has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars from a 90-year-old woman in Clover, according to police and court records. 
 
Anisa Lee Douglas, 42, of York, was arrested Wednesday on charges of exploitation of a vulnerable adult and breach of trust between $2,000 and $10,000, said Capt. Logan McGarity of the Clover Police Department. 
 
Douglas allegedly stole the money from the person she worked for from early 2019 through August 2020, according to arrest warrants obtained by The Herald. Douglas “unlawfully used funds for her advantage while working as a caregiver,” the warrants state.

The Herald is not naming the victim or the street address. Clover police were told of the alleged thefts when a family member of the victim saw unauthorized account activity, according to a police report.

Clover police investigated and located bank statements and surveillance video from a financial institution that show withdrawals allegedly made by Douglas, McGarity said. 
 
Both charges are felonies that can carry up to five years in prison for a conviction under South Carolina law. 
 
Douglas was released from the York County jail Thursday under a $5,000 bond, according to jail officials and court records. 
 
Police: Check accounts regularly 
 
McGarity said it is good practice for family members of the elderly to review financial records themselves or have a professional financial company do so regularly.

Clover is a town of about 7,000 people in York County, southwest of Charlotte. 
 
Crimes with elderly victims being ripped off by caregivers is a national issue. Older victims lose more than $3 billion annually in scams and financial exploitation, according to FBI and National Institute of Justice statistics. As many as one in 10 vulnerable adults are potential targets, according to federal officials. 
 
Law enforcement agencies in York, Chester and Lancaster counties, the S.C. Attorney General’s Office, and federal agencies have repeatedly warned the public about thefts and scams that target vulnerable or elderly adults. 
 
Rock Hill police charged two former caregivers in early 2021 after thousands of dollars were allegedly stolen from elderly victims. 
 
In 2018 and 2019 in York County criminal court, caregivers were convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from elderly people in their care, court records show. In those cases, the suspects had access to financial cards.
 
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