Hanover woman allegedly stole more than $500,000 from elderly aunt

by Anthony Maenza

A Hanover woman is accused of stealing more than $500,000 from her elderly aunt. 

Jerri Ann Lare, 53, faces first-degree felony charges of financial exploitation of an older adult, theft by deception and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds.

Penn Township Police executed a search warrant to check a joint bank account that had Lare’s and her 76-year-old aunt’s name on it, according to court documents. Police allegedly found large deposits into the joint account that Lare had set up as early as November 2021.  

Between November 2021 and December 2023, more than $600,000 was allegedly deposited into the joint account. Records indicate that more than $58,000 was paid to Sharon’s Personal Care Home, an assisted living facility caring for her aunt, according to police, while the rest of the funds are unaccounted for. 

Lare used money from the joint account to purchase things like vehicles, a hot tub, concrete work as well as make credit card payments, police allege. 

When the aunt was interviewed by police, she allegedly told investigators she was unaware Lare had transferred the money from Fidelity and did not give Lare permission to spend the money. She was also unaware her home in Maryland had been sold and those funds were used without her permission, police said. 

Lare was arrested Tuesday. District Judge Jeffrey Sneeringer set an unsecured bail of $25,000 on Wednesday. A preliminary hearing before Sneeringer is scheduled for March 5.

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Hanover woman allegedly stole more than $500,000 from elderly aunt