A Lake County, Illinois, man is facing felony charges after authorities said he financially exploited an elderly woman in his care and took more than $150,000 from her accounts.
The man was identified as Harold A. Boyle, 53, according to Lake & McHenry County Scanner.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Boyle with four Class 1 felony counts tied to the alleged financial scheme.
The case began in April after a credit union contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office about an elderly customer who may have been the victim of a financial crime.
The Victim Had Added Boyle to Her Financial Accounts
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 35600 block of North Wilson Road in unincorporated Round Lake after the credit union report.
Investigators learned that the 77-year-old victim had added a caretaker to her financial accounts, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said, according to Lake & McHenry County Scanner.
Authorities identified Boyle as the person accused of using that access to take money from her.
More Than $150,000 Was Allegedly Taken in Three Months
Covelli said detectives found that Boyle took more than $150,000 from the victim over about three months. The charges include financial exploitation of the elderly involving more than $15,000 and theft through deception involving $100,000 to $150,000.
Boyle also faces two counts of illegal conduct.
Detectives Froze About $30,000
Detectives obtained a seizure warrant for Boyle’s financial accounts in an effort to capture some of the money he allegedly took from the victim. Authorities were able to freeze approximately $30,000, according to Covelli. The rest of the alleged loss was not reported as recovered.
The case was turned over to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, which obtained a grand jury indictment against Boyle on June 24.
Boyle Was Arrested in Unincorporated Antioch
Boyle was taken into custody Tuesday at a residence in the 25100 block of West Linden Lane in unincorporated Antioch. Court records show he was not detained after his first appearance hearing.
He is due back in court on July 16 as the felony case continues.
Account Access Should Still Leave a Paper Trail
When an older adult adds a caretaker, relative, or helper to financial accounts, families can still watch for unexplained withdrawals, new payees, missing statements, unpaid bills, unusual transfers, or sudden changes in who controls passwords, cards, checks, or online banking access.
Bank alerts, duplicate statements, monthly account reviews, and written records of who is allowed to use money for care expenses can help identify problems before the loss grows.
The Illinois Department on Aging says suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect involving adults age 60 or older, or adults with disabilities ages 18 to 59, can be reported to the statewide Adult Protective Services Hotline at 1-866-800-1409.
Suspected theft, fraud, or misuse of an older person’s accounts should also be reported to local law enforcement, with bank statements, transaction records, checks, account access documents, text messages, emails, and any power-of-attorney or caretaker agreements preserved for investigators.