Woman Cops Plea To $30K Theft From Elderly Uncle; Also Suspected Of Pocketing Cash Intended To Pay Mortgage, Allowing Uncle's Home To Be Foreclosed On

In West Chester, Pennsylvania, The Phoenix reports:

• A Phoenixville woman pleaded guilty [last week] to stealing the $30,000 death benefit paid to her uncle following the death of his wife. While friends and co-workers of the victim have suspicions that much more money was stolen by the niece over the years, police say they were only able to prove she took the $30,000. Detective Sgt. Thomas Goggin of the Phoenixville Police Department who investigated the case called it "one of the most morally outrageous crimes he had ever investigated."

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• But this wasn't the first time that Goggin had investigated a complaint regarding Lisa Viola. [...] In August 2003, Alfred [Viola] and his wife, Nancy, lost their house [...] to foreclosure. During the investigation, Alfred Viola told Goggin that they would give Lisa Viola cash to make the mortgage payment. Lisa Viola, however, didn't make the payment. No charges were pressed against Lisa Viola at the time because "Al didn't want anything to happen to Lisa," said Goggin.

For the story, see Woman admits to stealing $30,000. FinancialAbuseOfElderlyAlpha