BY NECO COCKBURN, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN
Ottawa police have laid additional charges against a 48-year-old Ottawa man now accused of defrauding two seniors, and say there may be more victims.
Police said a man offered to help a 75-year-old woman who was his neighbour. After establishing a “relationship of trust” with her, the man allegedly defrauded the woman of several thousands of dollars over a number of years, police said.
Ricky Dean Broome is charged with theft under $5,000, fraud exceeding $5,000, along with 25 counts of uttering a forged document, unauthorized use of credit card data and criminal breach of trust. He is expected to appear in court on May 25.
In September 2008, Broome was charged by police in connection with accusations of fraud against an elderly Ottawa man.
Police said a man allegedly befriended the elderly man, who was his neighbour, established a relationship of trust with him and defrauded him of several thousands of dollars.
Broome was charged with fraud exceeding $5,000, false pretenses, obstructing justice, breach of probation and other charges in relation to that case.
Police said the man lived in the same mixed-age low-income apartment building as the alleged victims, and that the alleged fraud started in 2005, but it took years before the victims came forward.
An investigation by the Ottawa police elder abuse section investigation continues, and police said there may be more victims, as the force “recognizes that seniors sometimes find it difficult to report this type of abuse.”
Anyone with information about elder abuse and/or fraud is asked to call the Ottawa police elder abuse section at 613-236-1222, ext. 5650, or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477.
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