A Conover woman is facing federal charges after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from two elderly relatives according to federal prosecutors.
A Federal Grand Jury in Charlotte returned a criminal indictment this week charging Andrea Brawley, 45, with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Dena King’s office.
From August 2016 to January 2023, Brawley schemed to defraud the elderly couple by exploiting her relationship with the victims to steal their money and property, the indictment alleges. She gained access to their bank accounts, which she was expected to use to manage the couple’s personal and business affairs and to pay routine bills, prosecutors said.
Brawley is accused of failing to make payments due on the couple’s home equity line of credit on their residence, which eventually went into foreclosure and the victims lost their home, according to allegations in the indictment.She also allegedly drained the victims’ retirement accounts by forging retirement distribution forms without the couple’s knowledge and consent.
Over the course of the scheme, Brawley is said to have defrauded the couple of more than $300,000, according to the U.S. attorney.
The indictment also alleges that Brawley isolated the couple and limited their contact with friends and family by taking the victims’ cellphones; impersonating them in communications with third parties; transporting them to various locations around the state; and preventing them from returning to their home.
Brawley also used or attempted to use one or more forms of ID that belonged to the couple, including their names, addresses and unique account numbers, prosecutors allege.
“Elder financial abuse continues to rise at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, when older adults are victims of financial exploitation it is incredibly difficult for them to recover financially and recoup their losses,” King said in a statement. “And when the fraud is perpetrated by a trusted friend or close family member, the added emotional devastation can be overwhelming.”
If convicted, Brawley faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the mail fraud charge, according to the U.S. attorney. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any other term of incarceration imposed.