Man suspected of defrauding Rancho Mirage woman of nearly $500,000
Desert Sun Wire Service
August 20, 2008
A man was indicted today on federal fraud charges for allegedly emptying the retirement accounts of a near-blind 91-year-old woman for whom he was supposed to be caring four, authorities said.
Federal grand jury in Riverside indicted John Glenn Merrill, 39, on four counts each of mail and wire fraud in connection with a month-long scheme in which he allegedly stole $498,000 from the victim, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.Merrill, who is described as a Riverside resident, moved in with the victim in April at her home in the 800 block of Island Drive in Rancho Mirage, where the defendant lived rent-free in exchange for assisting the elderly woman, who suffers from impaired eyesight due to macular degeneration, authorities said.
Merrill took advantage of the woman's near-blindness by having her unwittingly sign documents that listed him as a joint account holder on her investment account, valued at $500,000, according to U.S. Secret Service Agent Brenton Gee, who investigated the case.In an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint against Merrill, Gee said that in May and June, the defendant withdrew approximately $498,000 from the victim's investment account -- virtually all of her life savings -- and deposited the money into a USAA bank account.
According to Gee, Merrill had opened the account listing the victim as a joint owner -- without her knowledge.Within days of transferring the initial sum, Merrill closed the account and redistributed the funds to other bank accounts the defendant alone had access to, Gee said.
The victim uncovered the alleged fraud after Merrill left her home in late June, authorities said.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department first investigated the matter as a possible case of financial elder abuse, but turned the investigation over to federal agents when evidence of interbank monetary transfers surfaced.
Merrill was tracked down in Oregon, where he was arrested July 23, according to U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Thom Mrozek.
Federal agents were able to recover $487,500 of the victim's savings, which should be returned to her soon, Mrozek said.
Merrill is in custody and scheduled for arraignment next Wednesday, according to Mrozek.
If convicted on all charges, Merrill faces a maximum sentence of 160 years in prison, Mrozek said.
SOURCE: The Desert Sun
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