Suspect Accused of Taking Elderly Woman’s Money for Gambling

A 46-year-old man was accused of using the funds of an elderly woman without her knowledge for gambling activities and personal expenditures. The case involves an elderly lady from Bridgeport, West Virginia, who lost more than $10,000 of her personal funds after one male individual has been allegedly exploiting her.

The person suspected of the crime is with the initials C.E.B., 46, who was reported to the police back in January, a report released Monday by WDTV reveals. The suspect was accused of misusing a debit card provided by the elderly woman. The 46-year-old allegedly spent thousands of dollars at a local gambling establishment called “Hotspot,” while also making other purchases with the debit card that didn’t belong to him.

After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement uncovered that the suspect had approximately taken $10,031 from the elderly woman, judging by details from her financial statement. The total breaks down to a number of charges, including cash withdrawals of $6,708, $2,300 in cash back, some $548.50 which were spent directly at gambling establishments, as well as $243.48 and $234.61 spent on Amazon and Elevate Jewels respectively.

When asked by law enforcement, the elderly lady said that she agreed to give her debit card to the suspect who paid for groceries, as well as gas for her car. However, the woman wasn’t aware of any additional charges or that the 46-year-old used her card for gambling.

Bank Blocks Transactions between the Victim’s Accounts

It is unclear how the man and the elderly lady knew each other. Also, it is yet to be confirmed what charges the 46-year-old may face in light of the fraudulent transactions uncovered by law enforcement.

Upon investigating the case, police contacted the victim’s bank. A bank employee had previously told the elderly woman about the fraudulent charges, and she admitted she wasn’t aware of those. Although the elderly woman tried to move money between her personal accounts, the transaction was declined by the bank as the suspect allegedly gave instructions to the elderly lady.

In general, cases related to larceny or obtaining money or property belonging to other people are charged as a felony in West Virginia. A person found guilty of such a felony can be subject to a penalty of a one year minimum and no more than 10 years in jail. In addition to imprisonment, a fine of up to $2,500 may be imposed as well.