Newington Man Charged With Bilking Elderly Person

The suspect will appear in court on Thursday, Dec. 15.

by Michael Lemanski 

A Newington man has been arrested and charged with illegally writing checks to himself from an elderly man's bank account. (Shutterstock)

NEWINGTON, CT — A Newington man was arrested and charged last week with financially exploiting an elderly person.

Ryan Turko, 39, of Newington, was arrested Friday by inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.

He was charged with one count each of second-degree larceny; first-degree identity theft; second-degree forgery; and computer crimes, according to state officials.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Turko, the business manager for Portland Care and Rehabilitation Centre in Portland, also known as PCRC, improperly accessed an elderly resident’s bank account, according to authorities.

State officials said he then made online withdrawals and transfers and wrote checks to himself without permission between September 2020 and February 2021.

PCRC is a facility that accepts Medicaid monies on behalf of clients for services.

Turko was released on a $25,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Middletown Superior Court on Thursday, Dec. 15.

Second-degree larceny is a class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Identity theft is a class B Felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Second-degree forgery and computer crimes are class D felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.

The case will be prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Anyone with knowledge of suspected fraud or abuse in the public healthcare system is asked to contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney at 860-258-5986.

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Newington Man Charged With Bilking Elderly Person