Flint woman to stand trial for alleged embezzlement from elderly man

By DeJanay Booth-Singleton

(CBS DETROIT) - A 67-year-old woman will stand trial for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from an elderly man she had a relationship with, the Michigan Attorney General's office announced.

Constance Marie Roberts, of Flint, is charged with four counts of failure to file taxes/false tax returns and four counts of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult of $100,000 or more.

State officials allege Roberts was in a long-term relationship with the man, who was married and 20 years older than her. She also advantage of the gifts and money she was receiving and obtained vehicles and large amounts of money when the man began experiencing cognitive decline, according to a news release. from the AG's office.

Officials say between 2018 and 2021, Roberts collected about $3 million combined after taking from the man's checking and saving accounts and failed to report the money on her taxes.

"Many older adults have saved for retirement their entire working lives, and sadly they must also plan to protect their assets from people in their lives who would take advantage of them," said Attorney General Dana Nessel. "My office will continue to investigate and prosecute complaints of financial exploitation committed against seniors and other vulnerable adults." 

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Flint woman to stand trial for alleged embezzlement from elderly man

Florida Man Exploits Elderly WV Man with Dementia, Stealing Over $2 Million

By Jared Hefner

A man from Florida has been charged with exploiting an elderly man in Jefferson County, West Virginia, who suffer from dementia, and stealing over $2 million from him. Samuel Bunner, aged 50 and from Spring Hill, Florida, has been indicted on charges including wire and bank fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.

The alleged exploitation occurred after Bunner and the victim became friends while working together at the American Legion in Charles Town. The victim appointed Bunner as his power of attorney, granting him control over his financial accounts. Over the course of two years, it is alleged that Bunner sold the victim’s real estate, depleted his bank accounts and investments, and even opened a credit card in the victim’s name. He and his wife then used the stolen funds to purchase real estate, vehicles, luxury items, and took vacations.

The victim, who suffered from cognitive impairments, relied on Bunner for assistance with medical appointments. Bill Ihlenfeld, the U.S. Attorney for West Virginia’s Northern District, expressed sadness over the situation, stating, “This is a sad story about someone who worked hard his whole life, saved his money, and then when he began to suffer from cognitive decline, had everything stolen by an opportunist. We will continue to do everything we can to protect older West Virginians from schemes such as this.”

Both the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit are currently conducting an investigation into the case. The Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida, and FBI-Tampa have also provided assistance with the matter.

Prosecutors are urging anyone who wishes to report fraud against elderly individuals to contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) or send an email to wvfraud@fbi.gov.

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Florida Man Exploits Elderly WV Man with Dementia, Stealing Over $2 Million

Woman admits to bilking Orland man out of more than $1.6 million

From staff reports

A woman has admitted in federal court that she used a series of threats and intimidation to bilk an elderly Orland Park victim out of more than $1.6 million.

Lee Turner, also known as “Ashley Turner,” 40, of Joliet, pleaded guilty on May 16 to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to promote and carry on unlawful activity, namely theft and intimidation. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for Sept. 8.

Turner admitted in a plea agreement that from 2018 to 2021 she communicated numerous threats and fraudulent statements to the victim, who was in his 70s and had limited vision. Turner’s communications threatened to expose the victim’s purported criminal activity, even though Turner had no knowledge of any such activity committed by the victim. Turner took on false personas to convey false statements purportedly from others, including alleged gang members, individuals involved in organized crime, prosecutors, journalists, and corrupt law enforcement officers.

In one example cited in the plea agreement, Turner, using the alias “Big Joe,” sent a series of messages to the victim, claiming that the victim had to pay $30,000 to prevent law enforcement from raiding the victim’s residence and a relative’s residence. On June 13, 2019, the victim paid Turner $30,000 to avoid the purported raids, the plea agreement states. The money was one of dozens of similar payments, ranging in value from $5,000 to $66,000, that the victim made to Turner. In all, Turner received $1,611,975 from the victim as a result of the scam, the plea agreement states.

The guilty plea was announced by Orland Park Police Chief Eric Rossi, Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI.

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Woman admits to bilking Orland man out of more than $1.6 million

Elderly man gives police officer dance lesson during traffic stop in South Carolina

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Elderly man gives police officer dance lesson during traffic stop in South Carolina

Sacramento police surprise elderly man after his bike was stolen

An elderly Sacramento man is back to cycling across the city after his bike was stolen a few weeks ago. Cecil Quillan, 74, bikes everywhere, and it is his only way of getting around since he has a hard time walking. One day in early March, Quillan went to the CVS at 17th and K streets to pick up a few groceries, but when he came back outside, his locked bike was nowhere to be found. "I was only in there a couple of minutes. I went out and they had snapped the cable with the bolt cutters," Quillan said.

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Sacramento police surprise elderly man after his bike was stolen

After decades in woods, New Hampshire man forced from cabin

'River Dave,' as he's known by boaters and kayakers, is behind bars after being accused of squatting for 27 years on private property in Canterbury

CANTERBURY, N.H. – For almost three decades, 81-year-old David Lidstone has lived in the woods of New Hampshire along the Merrimack River in a small cabin adorned with solar panels. He has grown his own food, cut his own firewood, and tended to his cat and chickens.

But his off-the-grid existence appears to be at risk.

"River Dave," as he's known by boaters and kayakers, is behind bars after being accused of squatting for 27 years on private property in Canterbury. As the owner of the land seeks to tear down the cabin, Lidstone has been jailed since July 15 on a civil contempt sanction.

"You came with your guns, you arrested me, brought me in here, you’ve got all my possessions. You keep ’em," he told a judge at a hearing Wednesday. "I’ll sit here with your uniform on until I rot, sir."

Jodie Gedeon, an avid kayaker who befriended Lidstone about 20 years ago, is working with other supporters to help him, including organizing a petition drive and collecting money to cover property taxes.

"He’s just a really, really, big caring guy, and just chooses to live off the grid," she said. "It really is about humanity, it really is about compassion, empathy ... he’s not hurting anybody."

Merrimack County Superior Court Judge Andrew Schulman agreed that Lidstone isn’t hurting anyone, but said the law is clearly on the landowner's side.

"You’re doing your own thing in the ‘Live Free or Die’ state, so there’s a lot of sympathy to you for that," he said. "But there’s a lot of weight on the other side of the balance sheet, and not just about what the (landowner) wants to do with the land, but the weight I feel to uphold the judgment of the court and the rule of law."

Gedeon and other supporters came out to a town selectboard meeting on Monday. Board members said the town currently has no standing in the property dispute.

But even if there were a way to allow Lidstone to stay, it would be an uphill battle. His home is in violation of local and state zoning and environmental regulations, and there is no access to a road.

"You guys are in a quandary. So are we," selectman Robert Steenson said.

The woodlot Lidstone calls home is just a few miles away from Interstate 93. But it's hidden by the trees; it's on 73 acres that's been used for timber harvests. The property has been owned by the same family since 1963. There are no plans at this time to develop it.

Lidstone has claimed that years ago, the owner gave his word — but nothing in writing — allowing him to live there. But in the eyes of the current owner, he's a squatter and needs to go.

Property owner Leonard Giles, 86, of South Burlington, Vermont, didn’t even know Lidstone was there until the town administrator found out in 2015 and told him, expressing concern "with regard to the solid and septic waste disposal and the potential zoning violations created by the structure," according to Giles’ complaint in 2016.

The judge suggested Wednesday that Giles and town officials work with a mediator, but Giles' lawyer said the logistics would be too daunting.

"We’ve got to recognize the fact that this was a managed woodlot, with income which is supposed to support my elderly client in his retirement. At some point, how far is he supposed to go in order to turn his woodlot into a habitable lot for somebody else who’s there trespassing?" said attorney Lisa Snow Wade. "He just wants his land back."

Lidstone, who doesn't have an attorney, insisted his cabin is a hunting and fishing camp, not a home.

"Why do you need a road to it? Do you think I’m an idiot? You’re going to put a septic tank in for a hunting camp?" he said.

He also argued that Giles doesn’t own the property but is being pressured by the town.

"He’s a heck of a nice old man, I’ve talked with him a couple of times. This is not his fault, this is not my fault," he said. "It’s lying, cheating corrupt judges like you that are stepping on little people like me. But I’m telling you, sir, you step on me, I’m going to bite your ankle."

Lidstone, a bearded, small-framed, spritely man, has resisted efforts to leave since a judge issued an order for him to vacate in 2017. Following that, both sides had attempted to reach some sort of agreement for him, but were unsuccessful, according to court documents.

Currently, Lidstone can be released if one of three things happen: he agrees to leave, the cabin is demolished by Giles, or 30 days have passed since he was jailed. Another hearing will be held next week.

He hasn't had any other contact with law enforcement, unlike the case of a man in Maine called the " North Pond Hermit," who also lived in the woods for nearly three decades and pleaded guilty in 2013 to multiple burglary and theft charges.

Over the years, Lidstone, a U.S. Air Force veteran and a father of four who has made money as a woodsman, has been known to invite kayakers and boaters into his home, sharing stories about his life in the wild.

The wooden, two-level A-frame cabin was profiled by a local television show in 2018. There is a small, cluttered kitchen with pots hanging from the ceiling, some appliances, and curtains on the windows. His porch has a footstool with a base made of stacked beer cans. He converted a wood stove into a beehive. He's attached lights, a mirror and a pulley for a clothesline to logs supporting the cabin. There are piles of firewood.

Nearby is a gravel path leading to vegetable garden plots outlined by logs and some berry bushes. Lidstone gets his water from a stream.

Lidstone's decision to live in the woods is "exactly the lifestyle he wants," said his brother, Vincent Lidstone, 77, of Lafayette, Georgia.

"What they're doing to him isn't right for anybody, whether he's my brother or anybody's brother," he said. "He's 81 years old. Leave him alone."

Vincent Lidstone said he lost touch with his brother through the years, but described how the two of them and a cousin enjoyed spending time outdoors. They grew up in Wilton, Maine.

"We lived in the woods," he said. "We camped, fishing, hunting. The three of us did everything together for a lot of years."

It's unclear where Lidstone would go. Vincent Lidstone said he doesn't have the resources to help him. The Associated Press reached two of his three sons, who said they haven't been in touch with their father recently. His daughter didn't respond to a message seeking comment.

Gedeon said the matter hasn't been discussed by her group yet.

"We want to see him be able to live out his remaining years where he is," she said.

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After decades in woods, New Hampshire man forced from cabin

Police seek home health aide’s arrest in murder of 75-year-old in Rocky Hill

By Jessika Harkay and Christine Dempsey

The state police are asking for the public’s help in finding a home health aide suspected in the beating death of a 75-year-old Rocky Hill man this week.

Melissa Feliciano, 31, is wanted for arrest on charges of felony murder, murder, first-degree robbery and sixth-degree larceny in the death of Robert Iacobucci.

Her mugshot, from June 2020, is the most recent picture police have of Feliciano, they said.

Melissa Feliciano is wanted on murder charges in the beating death of Robert Iacobucci, 75, of Rocky Hill, state police say. (Provided by the Connecticut State Police)

Feliciano is described as 5-foot-2, 85 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Police said they don’t know if she has any weapons.

State police said Feliciano has moved around a lot, with various addresses on file, but is known to frequent the Hartford and Manchester area.

Feliciano, a native to Delaware, may have left the state, police added. “It’s always a concern,” they said Thursday afternoon.

The 31-year-old has two pending cases in community court in Hartford, according to online court records. She was arrested in Rocky Hill on Dec. 28, 2019, and charged with second-degree criminal trespass. A second-degree failure to appear charge was added to the case Feb. 4, 2020.

In the second case, Feliciano was charged by West Hartford police with interfering with an officer on Nov. 11, 2020. She’s due back in court on May 27 in both cases.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Feliciano is asked to call Det. Christopher Scott at the Troop H barracks in Hartford at 860-534-1000.

Melissa Feliciano is a murder suspect in the beating death of 75-year-old Robert Iacobucci of Rocky Hill, state police say.

Feliciano is one of three people who police believe were involved in the homicide earlier this week. Franklyn Cruz, 42, and Madeline Dickey, 35, were arrested after a witness alerted police to what had happened in Iacobucci’s house on Pondside Lane, state police said.

Iacobucci was found dead on the second floor of his home Monday, with his hands tied and injuries to his face and head, state police said.

A police report released Tuesday recounted the series of events that led to Iacobucci’s murder, including interviews from the witness and Dickey and Cruz themselves.

Cruz and Dickey told police that Feliciano was Iacobucci’s home health aide, but they haven’t been able to verify that information yet, state police said.

Dickey also told police that the attack began when Feliciano complained about how she was treated poorly by Iacobbuci and convinced her and Cruz to “scare him” into giving them money. The trio went to Rocky Hill around 1 a.m. Monday, and Cruz and Feliciano tied up and beat the 75-year-old, while Dickey waited in the garage and played with his dog, she said.

Following the attack, the couple said they dropped off Feliciano in Hartford. She hasn’t been seen since.

Later Monday morning, Cruz and Dickey returned to Iacobucci’s home to check on him, Dickey said. They discovered the attack had left the man dead. The couple decided to steal Iacobucci’s German shepherd, one of his cars and other items, instead of calling 911, the police report said.

 

They then met up with an acquaintance and Cruz told him about a plan to move the body, to make “it appear [Iacobucci] voluntarily left with a prostitute, then move themselves into his residence, essentially taking it over,” the police report said.

 

 The acquaintance called Rocky Hill police to conduct a wellness check, and officers found that one of Iacobucci’s two vehicles was stolen and his phone was answered by a woman who said her name was “Melissa,” but she couldn’t explain why she had Iacobucci’s phone, police began to investigate further.

Police interviewed the acquaintance Monday, and he added that he recently met with the couple again that day and that they were planning to go home, change clothing, change the license plate on the stolen vehicle then dispose of Iacobucci’s body, the police report said.

Police arrested Dickey and Cruz outside their New Britain residence. Inside the home, they also found Iacobucci’s dog, who is safe, healthy and with Iacobucci’s family members, Brian Foley, a spokesman for the state police, said Thursday afternoon.

Cruz’s bail was set at $2 million and his next court date is scheduled for April 28. Dickey’s was set at $1 million; she is due in court April 27.

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Police seek home health aide’s arrest in murder of 75-year-old in Rocky Hill

Elderly man loses home after being financially exploited

BY PAIGE STANAGE

 

Editor's Note: The name of the elder abuse victim interviewed for this story has been changed to protect his identity.

John never thought leasing out a room in his house would mean losing it.

But that's exactly what happened to the elderly Upper Cumberland native after he was financially exploited.

"I have high blood pressure, dementia and prostate cancer," he said. "This all started three years ago before the prostate cancer was discovered."

Three years ago, he rented out one room in his trailer to a woman who said she didn't mind paying rent.

"But I had come home one day, and she moved out," John said. "It wasn't maybe about three months until she moved back in and had two people with her. I told her she could rent out the room, but her friends couldn't stay.

"She asked if it would be all right if she paid more for them to stay, and I agreed to that."

Ultimately, the original woman and another roommate left.

"Anna was the last one left," he said. "I had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and it came up on what was going to happen to me. I told her I'd reckon I'd go into a nursing home."

Anna wasn't happy with that answer, and agreed to take care of him if she could stay in his home.

John agreed to put her name on the deed to his home.

"I had been living in that neighborhood for 71 years," he said. "After she signed the deed to the property, she quit cleaning, quit cooking, grocery shopping. She just completely quit.

"I told her one day, I said 'Sis, if you want out of this, if you don't want to do this, I won't be mad at you. We'll just go back, and we will make the deed back to me."

But Anna didn't want to give up the trailer and land.

"She would be gone from the house for four or five days, and I couldn't drive myself on the account of the dementia," John said. "Turns out, she was on drugs. I gave her my food stamp card, and she used everything on it then said she had lost it.

"It was easier for me to just up and move."

Makenzie Fowler, CREVAA (collaborative response to elder and vulnerable adult abuse) advocate with the Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability, took John's case.

"Makenzie came down the next day to take a look, and I told her what was going on," said John. "I told her everything. She wasn't even shocked. She brought me food the next day. They (Mckenzie and the UCAAD) helped me every step of the way to get where I am today."

Fowler said John was financially exploited by a woman half his age who agreed to take care of him if he signed over the land deed to her.

"She had the deed, his food stamp card, and all of his banking information," Fowler said. "She even had his phone. When I visited John the first time, I had to go get his cancer medication because she hadn't even done that.

"When I talked to her (Anna), she tried to act like he was abusive to her, even though he struggles to get around sometimes."

Fowler moved John into a hotel room for a week while applying for him to move into a low-income housing unit.

"I took him to the hotel, brought him groceries and a TV," Fowler said. "When it came time for him to move into his new home, I loaded a truck up with furniture he needed for his new place.

"We got him a new food stamp card and got him a higher amount on it, too. Then we worked on his finances to try and get him more money each month so he can have a little more left after his bills and hospital visits are paid for."

Even though John lost his home, there's still a happy ending.

"Even though he can't drive, we have a bus that picks him up everyday to go to the senior center," said Fowler. "He and his neighbor, who's also an elderly man, are the best of friends now. There is a silver lining in this story."

John will be meeting more advocates at the UCAAAD soon about possibly pursuing legal action to get his home back.

"If there's something we can learn from his situation, it's to use local resources like the UCAAAD to help find a proper caregiver," Fowler said. "She wasn't even licensed to be a caregiver. But he was desperate for help. He didn't know who to contact. You can start with us, and we can point you in the right direction."

The general UCAAAD number is 1-866-836-6678.

The UCAAAD also takes donations of household goods. Right now they are in dire need of beds and mattresses. To donate, call 476-4107.

Thirteenth Judicial District Attorney Bryant Dunaway issued a press release last month about attacking the problem of elder abuse in the 13th Judicial District.

He said that statistics on elder abuse suggest that only one out of 14 elder abuse cases are ever reported and as many as one of every 10 Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse. Victims are often afraid to report the abuse because of their dependence or trust in the abuser.

"A couple of years ago, District Attorneys established local Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigative Teams (VAPIT) in each judicial district across the state," Dunaway said. "Our VAPIT includes representatives from my office, CREA, DIDD, local law enforcement, Family Justice Center, and Adult Protective Services. The VAPIT team meets every month to review referrals of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation with a multi-disciplinary view. We do not want these neglect and abuse cases slipping through cracks. This remarkable team represents a united effort to protect older adults in the 13th Judicial District, a population that is steadily growing as baby boomers become seniors. That means the need for support services also will increase, as will the possibilities of abuse."

Tennessee state law requires reporting suspected elder or vulnerable person abuse. To report, call 1-888-277-8366 or visit https://reportadultabuse.dhs.tn.gov. 

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Elderly man loses home after being financially exploited

Man suffering from dementia found hours after walking away from local care home

Pittsburgh, PA — When Thomas Granger was found at a Bloomfield coffee shop Sunday, his grandson, Shawn Granger, said the 88-year-old was confused and unsure of how he got there.

Shawn said his grandfather left his residence at Schenley Gardens four hours earlier. He said a camera on the hotel next door showed him walking out at 7:58 a.m., and that that was the third time in less than two weeks that the staff couldn't find Granger.

"Thomas Granger is free to come and go as needed," said Jason Childers, executive vice president of Blue Harbor Senior Living, the management company for Schenley Gardens. "He is in a personal care apartment."

Childers said Granger does not live in the secure section of the facility, but in light of what happened, he has been placed on 24-hour monitoring while they move him to the memory care section of the home.

Granger's grandson said the staff promised to watch him more closely after the last time he went missing. He said he is currently searching for a new home for his grandfather.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Schenley Gardens is operating under its fourth provisional license after repeated violations that include fire doors that don't latch, internal doors left unlocked, long wait periods for residents in need of assistance and sanitary issues.State records reveal that this is their final provisional license, and if corrections aren't in place by July 4, the facility's license will expire.

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Man suffering from dementia found hours after walking away from local care home

Two indicted for murder of elderly man

(Editor’s Note: Charges filed against the defendants are subject to change or be dismissed by the State. The indictment of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.)
 
A Coweta County Grand Jury indicted two people for allegedly murdering an elderly man in a home in the 100 block of Brandy Lane.

Jonathan Lee Barber and Tiffany Dawn Fountain were each charged with one count of felony murder, one count of neglect to an elderly person and one count of exploitation to an elderly person, according to the indictment.

The pair reportedly deprived Rollis Nobel Bowman, 76, “... of care and sustenance that jeopardized his health between April and May of 2017,” the document read.

The indictment said Barber and Fountain also improperly used Noble’s financial resources between September of 2016 and May of 2017.

Barber and Fountain will be arraigned in Coweta County Superior Court on Feb. 26.

According to the Clerk of Courts office, Barber and three other people were also indicted in 2013 on an aggravated assault charge for allegedly attempting to rob someone at gunpoint.

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Two indicted for murder of elderly man