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Liberty cops probe possible scam on elderly
Additional charges may be filed against the woman.
LIBERTY — Police believe a Warren woman managed to bilk an Austintown resident out of more than $30,000 since 2006, and they want to find out what happened to all that money.
Liberty police Capt. Richard Tisone said the 43-year-old Hamilton Street woman is only facing a misdemeanor charge of driving without a license at this point, but police continue to investigate her dealings with the elderly Austintown man. She is due in Girard Municipal Court on April 8 on the misdemeanor.
Police became involved in the situation when the 81-year-old came to Home Savings and Loan on Belmont Avenue and tried to withdraw $500. The teller notified police because it was discovered that an alert had been placed on the man’s account six months ago because of similar transactions.
Police reports say the man told officers that he was to withdraw the $500, then give $400 to a woman waiting on him in the bank parking lot. He said the woman would then give the money to the FBI as payment toward a new car.
The man said he had been giving sums of cash to the woman to turn over to the FBI for a period of time, but had yet to receive his new vehicle. He said the car he once had was wrecked by the woman collecting the money.
Reports say the man had told bank personnel the same story months earlier, leading to the flag on his account.
Police found the Warren woman sitting in the bank parking lot in a black 2000 GMC with temporary tags. It was later determined that the Austintown man also purchased that vehicle for the woman.
Tisone said the man has given the woman between $6,000 and $7,000 over the last year. He said the total amount withdrawn and given to the woman since 2006, including the vehicle, is believed to be about $33,000.
“He was legitimately taking money out of his own account. He was then legitimately giving that money to her. This is really a screwed-up situation,” said Tisone. “She is getting money off of a guy who doesn’t appear to be aware of what is going on.”
Tisone said police are looking at the situation as a theft by deception. Austintown police are also looking into the situation.
jgoodwin@vindy.com