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Port Carbon Woman Accused of Stealing $197K from Elderly Woman

Port Carbon Woman Accused of Stealing $197K from Elderly Woman - Friday, February 13, 2009 at 6:05PM EST

PORT CARBON, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -- A Port Carbon woman faces charges she stole nearly $200,000 from an elderly woman with dementia. Investigators say the defendant carried out the crime as the victim's power of attorney.

District Attorney James Goodman says 43-year-old Elizabeth DeLeon was given power of attorney for Margaret Palko in 2005. Six months later, Palko was put in the Schuylkill Center Nursing Home, and police say the stealing began.

"The defendant was basically writing checks for herself a few thousand at a time," said Goodman. "She wrote checks, depleted the funds, and she couldn't even pay for the nursing home.

More than $55,000 is owed to the home. DeLeon allegedly traded in Palko's car and took an additional $13,000 in cash from Palko's account to buy a Pontiac Vibe. DeLeon's accused of taking more than $197,000 from the 88-year-old woman.

"Maybe it's just their social security check that someone will take month to month," said Jennifer Hendricks, Office of Senior Services, "but to take everything that they have is a sin."

But DeLeon's mother and sisters say the entire family was friends with Palko, and she wanted DeLeon to have a share of the money.

"This woman says to her, if there's anything you need, she take it," said Ann Zunic, DeLeon's mother. "She helped my daughter when she couldn't work for two years. She had her permission, she wasn't stealing, and she didn't take anything behind this woman's back."

But the D. A. says this power of attorney did not have gifting provisions.

"We want to send the message that the power of attorney is not a license to steal," said Goodman.

"She took advantage of an elderly woman with dementia," said Assistant D. A. Tom Campion. "And hopefully she's going to pay for it."

DeLeon posted $5,000 bond, and she'll likely head to trial on three felony charges in the coming months.
 


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