A father and daughter were charged with allegedly stealing a victim’s life savings in the Hudson Valley, officials reported on Tuesday.
Frank Whittaker, 56, and his daughter Christine Ellsworth, 38, were arrested after stealing from a 92-year-old victim they had initially acquired trust from by offering lawn maintenance and housekeeping assistance, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Whittaker and Ellsworth allegedly had access to the victim’s checkbook and financial accounts.
“Scammers who manipulate vulnerable seniors are stealing savings that took a lifetime of hard work to earn,” says James. “Instead of fulfilling their promises to care for this victim and her home, Frank Whittaker and Christine Ellsworth abused her trust and stole her life savings.”
According to court documents, the couple earned the victim’s trust in 2021 by supporting her with self-care and housekeeping activities. Whittaker then allegedly persuaded the victim to give him power of attorney over her affairs and designated himself as POA on many bank and annuity accounts, with Ellsworth as the successor POA.
Whittaker did not have the legal right to use the victim’s money for personal purposes, even though he had POA.
Over the next year, Whittaker and Ellsworth reportedly wrote themselves over $49,000 in checks and moved more than $230,000 from the victim’s bank and investment accounts to their own.
Prosecutors claim that the couple used the stolen funds to buy a new 2021 GMC Sierra pickup truck, dine at local restaurants, shop at Walmart, and purchase jewelry, flowers, and other personal items. The couple also allegedly made multiple cash withdrawals, including from ATMs at the Turning Stone Casino and Resort in Verona and the Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs.
Whittaker and Ellsworth are facing grand larceny charges for the incident. If convicted, they risk a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
