Caregiver sentenced for theft from 87-year-old

Beverly Joyce Kegley

After a Johnstown woman was sentenced to jail time, community service and probation for stealing nearly $50,000 from an 87-year-old woman over a 13-month period, the Cambria County Area Agency on Aging is urging the public to keep an eye out for and report suspicions of elder abuse and exploitation.

Beverly Joyce Kegley, 49, was working as an independent home health care provider when the thefts occurred, according to West Hills Regional police.

In a criminal complaint, police said Kegley was caring for a senior citizen in Southmont when she allegedly made unauthorized purchases on credit cards, unauthorized ATM withdrawals and overcharged for her services.

After the thefts were discovered by the victim’s tax preparer, the Cambria County Area Agency on Aging conducted a forensic audit, which revealed:

• Overpayment for services from April 2015 to April 2016 totaling $21,552.

• Unauthorized ATM withdrawals totaling $10,285.

• Unauthorized charges at Wal-Mart for $2,822.

• Unauthorized charges on a Chase credit card totaling $4,092.

• Unauthorized purchases on a Citi credit card for $10,730.

• Unauthorized transactions on a Sheetz Chase card for $446.

 On May 30, Kegley entered a guilty plea to two felony theft charges.

On July 11, Judge Tamara Bernstein sentenced Kegley to 45 days to two years in the Cambria County Prison, followed by 48 months of county probation.

In addition, Kegley was ordered to complete 160 hours of community service, have no contact with the victim and repay $38,928 in restitution, along with court fines and costs.

M. Veil Griffith, administrator of Cambria County Agency on Aging, said the department has a protective services unit whose purpose is to protect the elderly against abuse, self-neglect and financial exploitation.

Investigators are trained to handle these types of cases, she said, which are becoming more frequent as the region’s drug problem makes targets of elderly people who typically have their own homes and savings accounts.

An interest in the mail, specifically credit card statements, is often the biggest tell-tale sign that an elderly person is being taken advantage of financially, she said.

“That’s always the first red flag,” she said.

“They want to get to the mail first.”

Usually, an elderly victim who is being financially exploited by a caregiver is probably not being taken care of properly, Griffith added.

They may be isolated or miss regular doctor appointments, for example.

Although family members often are the most frequent perpetrators against the elderly, Griffith said other caregivers – as in Kegley’s case – are possible suspects.

It’s often safer to hire caregivers who are employed through personal care agencies that must follow state guidelines and require background checks for employees rather than independent caregivers, she said.

Aside from being careful in who you trust, Griffith added that it’s important for the elderly to balance their finances and keep a close eye on their bank statements.

“The sooner something like this can be detected, the less loss there is,” she said.

To make a report of suspected elderly abuse or financial exploitation, which can be done anonymously, contact the Cambria County Area Agency on Aging at 535-5595.

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Caregiver sentenced for theft from 87-year-old

Home health care worker charged with exploitation of adult

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A home health care provider is off the job after she was charged with exploitation of an adult, forgery, theft, identity theft and a computer offense.

According to court documents, Christine Bethann Maples of Tazewell City used an 87-year-old woman's bank card to pamper herself.

The victim reportedly suffered a stroke and had difficulty completing daily activities. Maples was brought in to assist the victim in daily activities during the month of February.

The Knoxville Police Department was alerted of financial exploitation when the victim's son contacted them.

Court documents revealed Maples used the woman's card approximately 15 different times. She allegedly made purchases at Victoria's Secret, Pilot, Nail Design, Hobby Lobby and other Knoxville stores.

Local 8 News reached out to the detective working this case. He said there are at least four people who have been victimized by Maples.

Local 8 News Reporter Dave Detling tracked another victim down. She claimed Maples stole two envelopes from her purse containing $2,000.

At the time, Maples was working as a home health care provider through Home Instead Senior Care.

In a statement, businesses owner Amy Hull said:

"Prior to placing a caregiver in a client’s home, we conduct rigorous third-party background checks, as well as personal and professional reference checks. These were all completed in this instance, and we did not find any history of inappropriate behavior. Upon learning of these allegations, the employee was suspended immediately and has since been fired. We have cooperated fully with the authorities and will to continue to do so throughout this investigation.”

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Home health care worker charged with exploitation of adult

Caregiver accused of stealing $28K in jewelry from elderly patient

A home health care worker is accused of stealing her elderly patient's jewelry, worth $28,000, and pawning it, deputies said.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrested Barbara Royal, 32, on Tuesday.

According to an arrest report, Royal had just started work as an at-home health care worker for a Wellington woman for less than a week when the woman's daughter became suspicious of Royal.

She told deputies Royal started working with the family on July 9, and on July 15 the daughter decided to check around the house to see if anything was missing.

She discovered her mother's gold wedding band, a bracelet and a necklace were all missing. The jewelry is worth about $28,000, deputies said.

A search of the county's pawn shop database showed Royal had pawned the woman's ring on July 9. She received $190 for it, deputies said.

Royal is charged with grand theft, exploitation of an elderly person, dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership.

Deputies said Royal also worked as a home heath care worker in other Palm Beach and Miami-Dade county homes and think she might have stolen from other people. They ask anyone who had Royal as a nurse and think they might be a victim to call Detective Krystal Gornall at 561-688-4043

She was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on Wednesday.

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Caregiver accused of stealing $28K in jewelry from elderly patient

Home health worker accused of bilking elderly lady of $13,000

Shirley Marie Scott Lockey

MAXTON — A Maxton woman is accused of taking thousands of dollars from an elderly woman for whom she worked as a caretaker.

Shirley Marie Scott Lockey is facing charges of misdemeanor financial card fraud, exploiting a disabled or elderly person and 20 counts of felony financial card fraud, according to Maxton police Capt. Jamie Oxendine, who investigated the case.

According to Oxendine, Lockey, 51, was working as a private home health care worker for an 88-year-old woman and used the woman’s debit card to withdraw money from account.

“This case started back in July 2014 and the last dates that we know this was occurring would have been January 2015,” Oxendine said. During that time, about $13,000 was fraudulently obtained, he said.

“With help from the banks that were involved, we were able to get this together,” Oxendine said of the lengthy investigation.

Lockey, of U.S. 501 in Maxton, was jailed under an $80,000 secured bond.

Oxendine said the Maxton Police Department has started a Facebook page to keep residents informed about crime in the area. Arrests and information about wanted suspects will be posted on the page, titled “Maxton PD,” Oxendine said.

“We ask our citizens to go on that page and report crime and become more familiar with the events going on here,” he said.

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Home health worker accused of bilking elderly lady of $13,000