Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has filed criminal charges against three women for defrauding a Florida senior out of $350,000. The Leesburg Police Department, with assistance from Attorney General Moody’s Senior Protection Team, conducted the investigation.
Kimberly Bitting allegedly obtained power of attorney over a senior widow and used this authority to issue checks from the victim’s accounts to her own account. Bitting also issued checks to accounts belonging to co-defendants Lara Larsen and Ashton Silvis.
Attorney General Ashley Moody stated, “Three women, pretending to be concerned caregivers, took advantage of their neighbor, a grieving senior widow, by abusing power of attorney to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. Older Floridians should be able to rely on those close to them in times of hardship and not worry about being exploited. Thanks to law enforcement partners and our Senior Protection Team, these defendants will face our Statewide Prosecutors in court.”
The investigation revealed that Bitting used the power of attorney over an 18-month period to issue checks from the victim’s accounts to her personal accounts and those of her co-defendants. These checks were falsely framed as payments for caregiving and other work not performed. Additionally, Bitting purchased two parcels of land using the victim’s funds. The total amount stolen was approximately $350,000.
Bitting faces three counts of elderly exploitation more than $50,000 and one count of organized fraud more than $50,000, both first-degree felonies. Silvis is charged with one count of organized fraud more than $20,000 but less than $50,000, a second-degree felony. Larsen faces one count of organized fraud less than $20,000, a third-degree felony. All defendants are also charged with one count of cashing or depositing an item with intent to defraud, a third-degree felony.
The Senior Protection Team assisted in the investigation.
The case will be handled by Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution in conjunction with the Lake County State Attorney’s Office. Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Taylor Chatting is cross sworn as an Assistant State Attorney for this case.
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