Man accused of conning elderly mom out of $10K, claims Mafia ties
By GEORGE PLAVIN Montana Standard
A 53-year-old Anaconda man is accused of conning his 74-year-old mother out of more than $10,000 by claiming ties with the Mafia.
Christopher Thomas Tilling made his initial appearance Wednesday in district court, charged with felony elder abuse for allegedly exploiting his mother to buy a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Judge Ray Dayton did not call for a plea, and appointed a public defender to represent Tilling. An arraignment is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 15.
Tilling and his mother reunited last year after decades of no contact, according to court documents. She moved from Hawaii to Anaconda to get reacquainted with her son, when he then told her he needed $10,000 to repay a loan to the Mafia or they would kill him.
Tilling’s mother gave him $10,000 cash, which he used to buy a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Butte, according to the same documents.
Several months later, Tilling went to work in North Dakota and had his mother pay for repairs to his truck. She also agreed to let him use two credit cards, which he ran up about $3,500 and never paid back the debt, according to court documents.
When Tilling again asked his mother for money, she refused. He allegedly told her he had friends in the Mafia, and she had “better be careful.”
If convicted, Tilling could face 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He is free on recognizance.
SOURCE: The BillingsGazette
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