Post by Logan on Jul 8, 2016 5:37:27 GMT -6
East Helena man accused of stealing $400K in elderly exploitation case
HELENA — An East Helena man is accused of stealing more than $400,000 from an 81-year-old woman. Authorities say the he used the funds on gambling and fast food.
Ernest Norman Hughes, 53, faces felony charges of exploitation of an older person and theft by common scheme. Police allege the scamming started in 2003 and continued until recently.
Authorities were alerted to the situation as the woman was getting evicted for not paying fees at her nursing home. Court documents say Hughes, who met the woman when she hired him to work around her former home and later became friends with her, has power of attorney and controlled her finances.
An adult protective services worker learned the woman had about $434,000 in her account when Hughes took over her finances in 2003, according to documents. She also received about $1,600 a month. The woman ran out of money to pay for her housing and care in December.
Read more: billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/east-helena-man-accused-of-stealing-k-in-elderly-exploitation/article_7b714069-cce6-5849-b8d2-9d813bc2689e.html
HELENA — An East Helena man is accused of stealing more than $400,000 from an 81-year-old woman. Authorities say the he used the funds on gambling and fast food.
Ernest Norman Hughes, 53, faces felony charges of exploitation of an older person and theft by common scheme. Police allege the scamming started in 2003 and continued until recently.
Authorities were alerted to the situation as the woman was getting evicted for not paying fees at her nursing home. Court documents say Hughes, who met the woman when she hired him to work around her former home and later became friends with her, has power of attorney and controlled her finances.
An adult protective services worker learned the woman had about $434,000 in her account when Hughes took over her finances in 2003, according to documents. She also received about $1,600 a month. The woman ran out of money to pay for her housing and care in December.
Read more: billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/east-helena-man-accused-of-stealing-k-in-elderly-exploitation/article_7b714069-cce6-5849-b8d2-9d813bc2689e.html