From the desk of Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Powers
Dear neighbors,
Ruth worked and saved all her life. Living in Colerain Township, as she reached her 80th birthday, she had no close family or friends.
She did, however, have a substantial amount of savings. And when her health deteriorated, Ruth moved to a facility in Sharonville.
Police say that's when the trouble began.
Brenda befriended Ruth during this time. When Ruth needed hospitalization at Mercy Fairfield, investigators say Brenda escalated the relationship. She even enticed Ruth to give her power of attorney over her affairs. Worse, the document was forged, with no witnesses.
Brenda took control of Ruth's savings account, which had more than a million dollars, and even made herself a payee upon Ruth's death.
Police say soon, Brenda began taking as much money as she could from Ruth's financial accounts. Ultimately, she stole a little under $14,000.
Luckily, an alert clerk at Ruth's credit union caught on to crimes and called police.
Brenda has now been charged with ten felonies. A Hamilton County grand jury indicted her last month.
I promise my office will pursue this case to its fullest measure.
But please, always exercise extreme caution when considering a power of attorney. Don't sign for one without seeking outside counsel, and always be wary of someone new in your life who might be trying to gain your trust in order to take advantage of you.
And if you need help, don’t hesitate to call 513-946-SCAM.
Always fighting for you,
Melissa Powers
Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney
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