Pocono News Section

Scam Victim's Family Responds to Charges

Scam Victim's Family Responds to Charges - Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 5:38PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Thursday, Oct 1, 2009 @ 05:38pm EDT
MILTON, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY - A Lewisburg man is accused of swindling a senior citizen out of $30,000.

Nelson Thomas had nothing to say after waiving a preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon.

Police say Thomas scammed 75-year-old Charles Wertman out of the money over the past two years.

Janet Koch, Wertman’s niece, said, "This man showed up from nowhere, tried to befriend my uncle, just to get money."

Police said Nelson Thomas offered to do odd jobs like mowing the lawn at Wertman's home in Watsontown.

He eventually offered to fix Wertman's roof- took $7,000- and never did the job.

Thomas also allegedly arranged to buy Wertman's car for $4,000. He got the wheels, but again, didn't pay up.

Finally, he convinced Wertman to loan him nearly $20,000, claiming he needed to pay back taxes to avoid jail.

Koch noted, "It made me mad. It just made me mad that there's people out there with no conscience, and that don't care."

Eventually, Wertman received a notice from his bank. He had defaulted on the loan and could lose his house.

Koch explained, "The premiums, the payments kept increasing and my uncle just got overwhelmed with it. He couldn't pay it all."

Wertman again asked Thomas for money and again got nothing. So police filed theft by deception charges against Thomas.

If convicted, he would have to make restitution, and could face up to one year in jail.

Now Charles Wertman's niece is warning other senior citizens, so they don't end up in the same situation.

Koch added, "They're so gullible and so kind. But they need to ask questions and not be so quick to give up their hard earned money."

Charles Wertman had to sell his house to pay off the loan. He's staying at the Watson Inn until a room becomes available at Warrior Run Manor.

Nelson Thomas will be back in court in December.