Georgia woman facing over 90 charges for fraud, elderly exploitation with funds totaling over $60k

By WSBTV.com News Staff 

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — A Carrollton woman is facing charges of fraud and exploitation against the elderly.

According to the Buchanan Police Department, eight warrants have been issued for Johnna Hannah, 28, following a February investigation that revealed dozens of instances of financial abuse of elderly people.

Chief Ratner with BPD said he got a call from Countryside Healthcare concerning a report of irregular bookkeeping.

He said a victim told him a credit/debit card had been used on a special occasion.

Ratner asked for warrants to check the books handled by the business manager and two weeks later, he got a list of checks used and tracked them. There were 39 victims at the time.

He said there were 39 fraud account charges and 39 counts of exploitation of the elderly.

According to police, Hannah bonded out on the first four warrants.

Ratner then sent a subpoena for the bank records of Hannah at the Navy Credit Union.

When he got the results back on Mar. 15, he found more fraud checks.

One included a 78-year-old man who was a former steelworker who signed money over to her thinking it would pay for his funeral expenses.

After that, police said there were eight more warrants: 4 for account fraud and 4 for elderly exploitation.

Police said Hannah is facing approximately 93 charges combined of account fraud and elder exploitation, with the funds totaling $64,381.

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Georgia woman facing over 90 charges for fraud, elderly exploitation with funds totaling over $60k

Caregiver accused of stealing, using elderly Ocala man’s credit card

A 46-year-old Ocala woman was arrested after an elderly man accused her of stealing one of his credit cards and using it to make over $1,000 in fraudulent purchases.

On November 25, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a residence on SW 56th Avenue Road in Ocala in reference to financial fraud. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the male victim who advised that his bank had notified him that one of his credit cards had been fraudulently used the previous day, according to the arrest report.

The victim stated that he had not used the credit card in question in months, and he recently noticed that the card was missing from his wallet. He told the deputy that a housemaid, later identified as Jennifer Louise Middleton, had started working at his home shortly before the credit card went missing, according to the report.

The victim’s daughter told law enforcement that a total of six fraudulent charges had been placed on the victim’s credit card.

On December 7, the deputy learned that Middleton was employed by Ashford Home Care, and she had been referred to the victim by a local medical facility. The deputy noted that this put the victim and Middleton in a “relationship of trust.”

Less than a week later, on December 12, the deputy visited several stores where the victim’s credit card had been used to make the fraudulent purchases. According to the report, the following transactions were conducted on November 24 using the victim’s credit card:

• $90.19 at a Ross Dress for Less store in Lady Lake.
• $176.36 at a Skechers Outlet in Lady Lake.
• $188.77 at a Bealls Outlet in Lady Lake.
• $38.39 at a Sonoco gas station in Marion County.
• $195.65 at Victoria’s Secret. This transaction was made online.
• $355.78 at Dillard’s. This transaction was made online.

The deputy noted in the report that Middleton was observed on video surveillance footage completing the fraudulent transaction at Ross Dress for Less at around 4:20 p.m. on November 24. Additionally, video surveillance footage from Bealls showed Middleton using the victim’s credit card to make the fraudulent purchase at around 4:50 p.m. on the same day.

The total amount taken from the victim was $1,045.14, according to the report.

On December 15, the deputy made contact with Middleton. After being read her Miranda rights, Middleton admitted to removing the credit card from the victim’s wallet without his permission. She further admitted to conducting all of the fraudulent transactions, and she added that she had thrown the stolen credit card into the trash.

Middleton was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and she was released the following day after posting an $8,000 bond. She is being charged with exploitation of the elderly (less than $10,000), fraudulent use of a credit card (more than two times or over $100), and three counts of misusing personal identification without consent (victim over 60 years of age).

A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, according to jail records.

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Caregiver accused of stealing, using elderly Ocala man’s credit card

Cantonment Woman Charged With Exploitation Of Elderly Man

A Cantonment woman is charged with taking half ownership of a piece of property belonging to a vulnerable elderly man and spending $9,000 of his money.

 

Sharon Marie Hazzard, 52, was charged with felony exploitation of the elderly.

According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the victim was at a high risk of exploitation due to a sixth grade education and a diminished understanding of finances.

“He has no understanding of his income or how his funds were being managed. He is observed to be easily manipulated and agreeable to persons of trust,” the DCF report states.

In April 2016, Hazard convinced the victim to “sign some papers,” according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, that was actually a quitclaim deed giving her half ownership of the property with rights of survivorship. It was discovered when a property tax late notice was received.

The property is described as an “old, poorly maintained single wide trailer” in Cantonment. The trailer was damaged by Hurricane Sally and until August 2020 did not have a functioning air conditioner. the report notes.

In addition, Hazard had herself added to a Regions Bank account owned by the victim, according to ECSO. Over the course of about nine months, she used about $9,000 from the account to make multiple purchases and ATM withdrawals that did not benefit the elderly victim, the report continues.

When DCF first interviewed the victim, they found that there was very little food in the trailer and that family members stated the man had not received medical care in several years.

Hazard was “unresponsive and did not cooperate’ with the ECSO or DCF’s investigation, the arrest report states. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond.

The relationship between Hazzard and the victim is not contained in a redacted arrest report.

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Cantonment Woman Charged With Exploitation Of Elderly Man

Elderly exploitation charged former caregiver

by Michael Moser

A woman who worked as a caregiver for an elderly Cumberland County man has been arrested and charged with three felonies, including exploitation of the elderly, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

Samantha Nicole Hardy, 24, 191 Blaine St., Pikeville, is charged with fraudulent use of a credit/debit card, theft of property of up to $1,000 and financial exploitation of the elderly, according to Sgt. James Scott’s arrest report.

The arrest follows a weeks-long investigation that was launched Sept. 14 when Scott responded to a call on Legion Rd. on a report of a theft. The victim told investigators he noticed items missing from his home on that date that included a stolen debit card.

The credit/debit card was canceled, but investigators learned it was presented on three different locations. Fraudulent charges were made Sept. 13 at a Dollar General Store on Hwy. 127 S in the amount of $304.95, a Dollar General Store and the Food Mart, both in Pikeville.

Investigation also showed that a charge of $422.61 was made at the Walgreen’s in Crossville and $414.25 at a Family Dollar Store in Gruetli-Laager, TN.

Investigators were able to obtain surveillance video showing a woman attempting to purchase a Visa pre-paid card and other items totaling $414.25.

A home health care agency was contacted and through the use of the video footage and with help from the agency, developed a suspect in the theft.

On Sept. 30, three warrants were served on Hardy. Bond was set at $10,000 with an appearance to be set in Cumberland County General Sessions Court.

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Elderly exploitation charged former caregiver

Woman arrested in Thomas Co. elderly exploitation case

Resea Ray (Source: Thomas County Sheriff's Office)

THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WALB) - A caretaker was arrested after exploiting an elderly couple out of thousands of dollars, according to the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office.

Resea Ray was arrested Tuesday on two counts of exploitation of the elderly and three counts of felony theft by taking.

An investigation found that over several months, approximately $30,000 was taken from the couple.

The sheriff’s office said Ray was entrusted in caring for the couple.

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Woman arrested in Thomas Co. elderly exploitation case

Fort Myers man arrested for exploiting elderly Palm Beach County couple

A man who was arrested during a suspected hazmat situation was wanted on the east coast for exploiting the elderly.

Police arrested David Del Rio, 35, after raiding his Fort Myers home last Thursday.

As the William and Elizabeth Cabral’s “financial adviser,” they trusted Del Rio with their money, approximately $900,000 worth according to police reports.

Palm Beach County police say Del Rio even signed on as their power of attorney and beneficiary before investigators say he started taking their money.

Then Elizabeth Cabral, 84, was found dead in her Palm Beach County condo.

The money belonging to the Cabral’s was traced back to Del Rio who spent the money on things like a car, cruise and guns.

Neighbors are shocked.

“I’ve literally been to his house,” said his neighbor Tyler Gould. “So it’s really a shock to see that somebody so nice could do something so terrible.”

Police say that from September 2016 to March of this year, Del Rio wrote checks, sometimes $100,000 at a time to himself in the Cabral’s names, even after William Cabral died last year.

Elizabeth Cabral’s neighbor said that she had a lot of people in and out taking care of her.

Then on April 30, Elizabeth was found stabbed to death in her home.

Investigators say Del Rio deposited his last check in her name just six weeks before her death.

Del Rio is not charged in the death of Elizabeth Cabral. He is currently charged for 28 other felonies in Palm Beach County and being held on $28,000 bond in Palm Beach County.

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Fort Myers man arrested for exploiting elderly Palm Beach County couple

Power of attorney accused of bilking elderly couple out of $900K

HIGHLAND BEACH, Fla. — A man who gained the trust of an elderly couple, the wife later found murdered, is accused of exploiting them after nearly $900,000 was withdrawn from their accounts, according to a probable cause affidavit.

William and Elizabeth Cabral retired to Palm Beach County, Florida and were befriended by David Del Rio, 35, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, at the bank where they transferred their funds, the affidavit said.

William Cabral was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and died in April 2017.

Elizabeth Cabral, 85, was killed in her Penthouse Highlands condo on April 30, 2018, deputies said.

While examining her banking records, it was discovered that a large amount of cash had been removed from the Cabral’s accounts between 2014 and 2018, the affidavit said.

Investigators allege Del Rio, while acting under a power of attorney, breached his fiduciary duty by making financial transactions via check in the Cabral’s name into an account under his control.

They say approximately $893,673.08 was withdrawn from William and Elizabeth Cabral’s SunTrust account and their Bank of America account via 16 checks and deposited into an account set up by Del Rio.

The money was used to pay for more than 405 personal transactions including a 2017 Audi A sedan, utility payments, home improvements, firearms, suppressors, firearms equipment and payments to Royal Caribbean Cruise line, the affidavit states.

Del Rio was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and faces charges of exploitation of the elderly, money laundering, organized scheme to defraud fraudulent use of personal ID and grand theft.

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Power of attorney accused of bilking elderly couple out of $900K

Abilene caretaker accused of stealing $6,000 from elderly patient

Kara Brooke Beaver

ABILENE, Texas — An Abilene woman was arrested Tuesday morning after police say she stole thousands of dollars from an elderly patient.

According to the arrest report, police executed a search warrant at a home in the 300 block of Glenhaven Drive.

Police say they discovered Kara Brooke Beaver, 30, stole more than $6,000 on Feb. 23 from an 84-year-old that hired her as a caretaker.

Beaver is charged with exploitation of the elderly, which is a third degree felony. Her bond was set at $10,000.

No other details about the case are available.

According to jail records, Beaver has two prior arrests for thefts. But both of those were misdemeanors.

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Abilene caretaker accused of stealing $6,000 from elderly patient

Aide robs 3 elderly patients during shopping trip, police say

Patience James

LADY LAKE – Police have charged an aide with exploiting three elderly patients in her care by robbing them while taking them shopping.

Patience James, 37, took three patients of Lake Specialty Care assisted living on a shopping trip on Dec. 15. She was given three envelopes with cash belonging to the patients: one with $1,500, another with $2,500 and a third with $2,000.

When they returned she handed back $649.97 to the woman who had $2,500 in her envelope. The man who left with $1,500 discovered that his envelope was $700 short. When contacted by the facility James said the money must have fallen out of his pocket.

She did not turn in any receipts. When asked about the third shopper’s money, she said the man’s son accompanied them and he had control of the envelope. When the son was contacted, however, he said he was at work in Jacksonville.

She eventually produced eight receipts and the missing cash but several of the items purchased were missing and were not the kind of things they would normally purchase. The cash she turned in was in the form of newer $100 bills.

She admitted the one man’s son had not accompanied them, and that she had a friend go along on the trip. She denied stealing any money, however.

She was charged with exploitation of the elderly and grand theft and jailed pending payment of $4,000 bond.

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Aide robs 3 elderly patients during shopping trip, police say