Houston mother, daughter accused of financial exploitation of relative

Olivia Estright

Jul. 12—HOUSTON, Minn. — A mother and daughter are accused of financially exploiting their relative, according to Houston County District Court documents.

Vicki Lynn Heuser, 64, of Houston, and her daughter Samantha Christine Cunningham, 38, of Spring Grove, are being charged separately with five counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, four are felonies.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman, Heuser's mother and Cunningham's grandmother, was diagnosed with mild dementia in 2020. The woman sold her home in December 2020 for $177,421.67.

With her deteriorating condition, the complaint said the co-powers of attorney were established as Heuser and Cunningham on March 6, 2021. Both signed an acknowledgment that their POA powers would become effective if the woman became incapacitated or incompetent and that POA did not authorize them to make gifts to themselves or to anyone they have a legal obligation to support.

At the time the powers of attorney were established, the woman had $192,346.07 in her savings account and continued to receive more than $2,000 a month from social security and her pension, the complaint said.

The woman moved to a memory care unit in Houston County in July 2022. Her monthly rent started at $6,115. In February 2023, she received a direct deposit into her checking account from an insurance company for $44,831.86. By May 2023, the woman's savings account was closed due to a negative balance.

Houston County Human Services received a vulnerable adult report in November 2023 that alleged Heuser and Cunningham were using the woman's funds not for her benefit and without authority. The woman's lack of finances and activity seemed inconsistent with her past spending habits, the complaint said.

The report included transfers of large sums to Heuser and Cunningham's bank accounts, unauthorized gifts, purchases at day spas, payments for horse stable rent, auto and tire repairs, home utility bills, credit card and account payments and pediatric medical bills.

As a result, the woman did not have the funds to pay for the assisted living rent.

According to the complaint, more than $39,000 of the woman's funds were used from March 2021 to September 2023 in ways that did not benefit her.

LaCrescent police asked Heuser where the $177,000 from the sale of the woman's house was spent. Heuser told police she assumed they could "divvy up some of the money to the family members," which is what they did, the complaint said.

Heuser admitted to transferring $14,650 for her own use.

Cunningham told police she transferred $10,000 to her checking account in August 2021 for her daughter.

"Cunningham and Heuser financially exploited (the woman's) by using money from (her) bank accounts and making purchases that did not benefit (the woman) in the total amount of $39,270.47," the complaint said.

Cunningham will make her first appearance on July 24 in the Houston County District Court. Heuser will appear in court on Aug. 7.

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Houston mother, daughter accused of financial exploitation of relative