Granite City Police Charge Two For Financially Exploiting Elderly Victims

by Dalton Brown

GRANITE CITY - A Granite City man and New York resident both face felony charges for financially exploiting elderly victims in two separate but similar cases filed on the same day.

Richard W. Hoffmeister Jr., 64, of Medina, N.Y., was charged with two Class 1 felony counts of financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability. He was also charged with a Class 1 felony count of theft.

For over two years from Sept. 1, 2020 to Dec. 1, 2022, Hoffmeister allegedly obtained over $15,000 from an elderly victim over 70 years of age “while standing in a position of trust and confidence” with them, according to court documents.

In a separate case, Brian F. Griffith, 45, of Granite City, was also charged with two counts of financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability, both Class 1 felonies. He was also charged with theft, a Class 2 felony, and wire fraud, a Class 3 felony.

Griffith reportedly financially exploited a different elderly victim who was also over 70 years old at the time. From Feb 1, 2022 to Dec. 1, 2022, Griffith operated a “scheme” to steal over $15,000 from the elderly victim, which he then used to make various purchases.

“[Griffith] knowingly devised and intended to devise a scheme … to defraud [the victim] and obtain money and property by means of false pretenses,” a description of the wire fraud charge states. “He made substantial online purchases and payments to child support through the internet.”

The Granite City Police Department presented the cases against Griffith and Hoffmeister on Dec. 10, 2024. Both individuals were granted pretrial release from custody.

The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

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Granite City Police Charge Two For Financially Exploiting Elderly Victims