By Jared Hefner
A man from Florida has been charged with exploiting an elderly man in Jefferson County, West Virginia, who suffer from dementia, and stealing over $2 million from him. Samuel Bunner, aged 50 and from Spring Hill, Florida, has been indicted on charges including wire and bank fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.
The alleged exploitation occurred after Bunner and the victim became friends while working together at the American Legion in Charles Town. The victim appointed Bunner as his power of attorney, granting him control over his financial accounts. Over the course of two years, it is alleged that Bunner sold the victim’s real estate, depleted his bank accounts and investments, and even opened a credit card in the victim’s name. He and his wife then used the stolen funds to purchase real estate, vehicles, luxury items, and took vacations.
The victim, who suffered from cognitive impairments, relied on Bunner for assistance with medical appointments. Bill Ihlenfeld, the U.S. Attorney for West Virginia’s Northern District, expressed sadness over the situation, stating, “This is a sad story about someone who worked hard his whole life, saved his money, and then when he began to suffer from cognitive decline, had everything stolen by an opportunist. We will continue to do everything we can to protect older West Virginians from schemes such as this.”
Both the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit are currently conducting an investigation into the case. The Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida, and FBI-Tampa have also provided assistance with the matter.
Prosecutors are urging anyone who wishes to report fraud against elderly
individuals to contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at
1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) or send an email to wvfraud@fbi.gov.
Full Article & Source:
Florida Man Exploits Elderly WV Man with Dementia, Stealing Over $2 Million
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