A Lebanon County woman is accused of nearly draining the bank account of a care-dependent relative in Reading, leaving the victim with outstanding utility bills with shut-off notices.
Mary S. Shealer, 58, turned herself in to Berks County detectives Thursday to face the charges.
Shealer of Newmanstown, who formerly resided in Lake Wynonah, Schuylkill County, is charged with financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, theft by unlawful taking and related counts.
She remained free following arraignment before District Judge Steven Chieffo.
According to detectives:
The investigation began in August 2021 when detectives received a request from the Berks County Area Agency on Aging to look into possible financial exploitation of an older person.
Detectives spoke with a family member of the then-89-year-old woman. That family member, who lives in South Carolina, said the victim lived independently in Reading and was concerned about her finances, saying that Shealer kept telling her she was out of money.
Shealer had power of attorney for the woman from Sept. 16, 2019, through Aug. 5, 2020.
The victim’s family went through her bank records and noticed checks written to Shealer. They also found unpaid utility bills with shut-off notices.
This made no sense to the victim because she received monthly Social Security benefits totaling more than $1,300.
As power of attorney, Shealer was to pay the woman’s bills. The woman is non-ambulatory and received Medicaid-funded services so she would remain in her home.
Now 94 and residing in a nursing home, she told a detective that Shealer would come to her house every two weeks to open mail and drop off food and her laundry.
The victim said there was no written or verbal agreement that Shealer was to be paid for the services she was providing.
Just before calling her South Carolina relative, the woman received a visit from a friend who found unopened mail. She asked her friend to open the mail, including a statement from M&T Bank. It showed she had only about $300 in her account.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the woman’s bank account as well as for Shealer’s bank account at a different bank.
A forensic audit by a certified forensic examiner was conducted. The results were received in March of this year and showed that more $9,600 was taken from the victim without her knowledge and consent.
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