WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - A well-known Columbus businessman made an appearance in recorders court Thursday accused of taking money from the elderly through his home health care business.
The business owner allegedly took hundreds of thousands of dollars from an elderly Columbus woman and detectives say dozens of others could be impacted.
A 79-year old Columbus woman is accusing William Jason Robertson of taking over $200,000 from her over a two year period for home health care services.
The problem police say is that Robertson has never been licensed to operate a home health care business.
Sergeant Windy Thornton with the Columbus Police Department says that's considered theft.
Robertson's business is known as First Choice Home Healthcare.
Robertson makes frequent appearances around town about his experience being one of more than 200 orphans brought to Columbus from Saigon in the mid 70's.
He also has a book on Amazon about his experience.
Although Robertson was booked into the Muscogee County Jail and is being charged, some licensed nurses and sitters employed by Robertson like Tina Abroquah say they fully support him.
"I’m for him will always be 100 percent for him," Abroquah said. "There's a lot of people that's in this business just to get the money but he's in the business with his heart. You can see it and you can feel it when you meet him. He's not what they're trying to portray him to be he's not that."
At least three of Robertson’s employees were in court. All saying they provided around the clock care for the elderly woman.
Although the workers are certified and licensed to care for the elderly, Columbus Detectives Wendy Thornton and Christy Truitt say they must operate under a licensed business.
The elderly woman's niece says she said she found Robertson’s company online and thought his business was legitimate.
Robertson is pleading not guilty to three counts of theft by deception and one count of exploitation of the elderly.
He also received a $50,000 bond and is not allowed to do any business within the home healthcare industry.
His case is being bound over to superior court.
As for the elderly woman, she's now staying at local nursing home in Columbus.
Columbus police say she's not the only victim, and Detective Thornton says there are well over 50 other victims.
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Columbus businessman allegedly steals $200k+ from elderly woman
Showing posts with label alleged stealing from elderly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alleged stealing from elderly. Show all posts
Monday, October 30, 2017
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Mother, son arrested for stealing $200,000 from elderly relative
Ansonia police arrested a mother and son for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from an elderly relative’s investment accounts.
Kristina, 62, and Joseph Ukanowicz, 29, of 195 Canal Street in Shelton are mother and son. They were both arrested on warrants following a two year investigation conducted by Detective Stephen Adcox into the theft of “tens of thousands of dollars” from Kristina’s mother while she was power of attorney over her mother’s finances.
According to police, the theft took place over a three-year period while the victim was in her eighties.
The victim’s bank and investment accounts went from having combined balances of over $200,000 to having a negative balance of over $1,000 during the time Kristina was power of attorney.
Through his investigation, Det. Adcox showed a pattern of spending and withdrawals that increased “disproportionately” from the time period before Kristina took over as power of attorney to her time as power of attorney.
Det. Adcox’s investigation also identified Joseph as being involved in the theft.
During interviews with both Kristina and Joseph, each admitted to a role in the theft but blamed each other for the majority of the theft.
On June 16, Joseph was arrested by warrant for first degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny.
10 days later, Kristina was arrested by warrant for first degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny.
Joseph appeared in court on June 19, was held on $50,000 bond and is currently incarcerated at the Bridgeport Correctional Center.
Kristina was held on a $35,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in court today, June 27.
Full Article & Source:
Mother, son arrested for stealing $200,000 from elderly relative
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| Kristina Ukanowicz |
According to police, the theft took place over a three-year period while the victim was in her eighties.
The victim’s bank and investment accounts went from having combined balances of over $200,000 to having a negative balance of over $1,000 during the time Kristina was power of attorney.
Through his investigation, Det. Adcox showed a pattern of spending and withdrawals that increased “disproportionately” from the time period before Kristina took over as power of attorney to her time as power of attorney.
 |
| Joseph Ukanowicz |
Det. Adcox’s investigation also identified Joseph as being involved in the theft.
During interviews with both Kristina and Joseph, each admitted to a role in the theft but blamed each other for the majority of the theft.
On June 16, Joseph was arrested by warrant for first degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny.
10 days later, Kristina was arrested by warrant for first degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny.
Joseph appeared in court on June 19, was held on $50,000 bond and is currently incarcerated at the Bridgeport Correctional Center.
Kristina was held on a $35,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in court today, June 27.
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Mother, son arrested for stealing $200,000 from elderly relative
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Woman accused of stealing more than $100,000 from 93-year-old mother
Authorities said Raya used the money for all sorts of things: bills, outfits and even ballroom dance lessons.
Raya posted a YouTube video of her ballroom dancing. The folks at TEAH Ballroom Dance Studio at 90th Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park said Raya was a frequent customer for the last two years.
Workers at TEAH told KCTV5 Raya said she had to give her dancing up to take care of her elderly mother. Authorities say the person Raya really took care of was herself with her mother's money.
She's been charged with mistreatment of an adult and theft. The charges allege Raya took advantage of her mom. Police say it's things like the ballroom dance classes that may have contributed to the charges.
"Lot of things the money was spent on paying bills, ballroom dancing lessons, and outfits and things like that. It was a lot of money. There were just a lot of different things where she was abusing the money that wasn't intended for her," said Overland Park Police Department Officer Gary Mason.
The dance studio changed ownership earlier this year and only a few people here knew Raya. Those who did know her didn't want to go on camera. We also knocked on the door of Raya's Overland Park home, but no one answered.
Police say someone at the financial institution where Raya's mother, Janet Bersbach, kept her money blew the whistle. Suspicions grew as more and more money was siphoned from her mother's account.
"The main point of this it was set up in a trust fund. The reason we do this is so it's not abused. It's designed to protect people. When it doesn't, it's a sad situation," Mason said.
Raya is out of jail tonight after posting a $10,000 bond.
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Woman accused of stealing more than $100,000 from 93-year-old mother
Monday, August 3, 2015
Saraland women allegedly stole nearly $16K from elderly relative
On Tuesday, July 28, 2015, Saraland police arrested 20-year-old Katy Scarlett Wheeler, left, and 43-year-old Whitney Stanfield Gartman, right, on one count each of financial exploitation of the elderly and fraudulent use of a credit or debit card. (Courtesy of the Mobile County Sheriff's Office)
Officers on Tuesday arrested two Saraland women accused of fraudulently using a 93-year-old relative's debit card to make nearly $16,000 worth of purchases.
Over the course of four months, 20-year-old Katy Scarlett Wheeler routinely and fraudulently used her grandmother's debit card to make more than $2,500 worth of purchases, according to a complaint filed in Mobile County District Court. Her stepmother, 43-year-old Whitney Stanfield Gartman, allegedly stole between $500 and $2,500 in the same way, investigators said.
The pair made both online and in-person purchases using the 93-year-old's card. According to an incident report filed in court, the thefts started in February and went on until June.
On Tuesday, officers with the Saraland Police Department booked Wheeler on charges of first-degree financial exploitation of the elderly and fraudulent use of a debit card. Authorities charged Gartman with one count each of second-degree financial exploitation of the elderly and fraudulent use of a debit card.
Both women remained jailed Wednesday afternoon.
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Saraland women allegedly stole nearly $16K from elderly relative
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Upper East Side woman busted for allegedly stealing $340K from mom, 91
Barbara Schwartz, 62, used money she pilfered from her mother's bank accounts for spa treatments, fancy clothes and booze, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Schwartz started helping herself to her mom's money in 2010, about two years after her mom had a stroke and she took control of her finances, court papers say.
The 91-year-old was in court in a wheelchair for her daughter’s arraignment on Tuesday.
“The defendant's mother spent a lifetime acquiring the assets needed to make her final years comfortable and free of the stress of financial worry, only to suffer a stroke and have her daughter allegedly steal the money for her own personal use," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Investigators found out the daughter had been siphoning the cash from one of her siblings, prosecutors said.
Schwartz, of E. 71st St., was ordered held on $50,000 bail.
Her lawyer, Christopher Wright, said she pleaded not guilty.
She faces up to 15 years behind bars if convicted.
Full Article & Source:
Upper East Side woman busted for allegedly stealing $340K from mom, 91
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