Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Ohio Man Cops Plea For Allegedly Ripping Off Elderly Father; Used POA To Pocket $130K, Transfer Home Title Into His Name

In Hamilton County, Ohio, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports:
  • [Robert] Lodge was caring for his 89-year-old father and regularly taking him to the bank. Bank officials became worried when his father, Harry Lodge, blurted out to a bank teller after a withdrawal of several hundred dollars that he was being held hostage by his son.

  • Bank officials contacted police who arrested Robert Lodge. The son had received his father’s power of attorney – allowing him to make legal, financial and other decisions for his father – in May 2005. By the time the power of attorney was revoked in November 2007, Lodge had spent about $130,000 of his father’s money and transferred title of his father’s house into his name.

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  • The father’s $125,000 house, though, has been transferred back into his name and other relatives are in charge of his finances. The house will be sold to pay off the father’s debts as a result of his son stealing his money.

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  • Last month, Hamilton County prosecutors had to drop a similar case against Gwendolyn Hall. Hall persuaded her 90-year-old aunt to give her power of attorney that Hall used to steal $500,000 from her aunt. Hall, 62, of Cheviot, pleaded guilty but died before she could be sentenced.

For more, see Man avoids jail after stealing $130K from Dad.

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