Man convinces 73-year-old woman she has dementia and steals thousands, SC cops say
A 73-year-old woman was tricked into believing she had dementia in a scheme that netted a South Carolina man thousands of dollars, deputies said.
Justin Ray Donaldson, 35, established a grandson-like relationship with the woman after meeting her at a senior living facility, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said in a Dec. 17 Facebook post.
Deputies said Donaldson convinced the woman — who had recently lost her husband — that she had dementia.
Then, he gained access to her bank accounts after he told the woman to remove her daughters as “power of attorney” over her affairs and instead give that to him, according to the release.
Later, Donaldson told the woman to take a home equity loan out for “home repairs,” which he then used to buy a $28,525 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe for himself, deputies said.
The woman reported the fraud this month, and the SUV was confiscated, deputies said.
Donaldson was arrested on a charge of breach of trust $10,000 or more, the release said.
