Area Woman Accused of Making Over $3,500 in Unauthorized Purchases on Elderly Man’s Credit Cards

Jacob Deemer

Jacob Deemer

Published March 6, 2023 5:35 am
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EAST BRADY BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – Police have charged an area woman for allegedly making unauthorized purchases on an elderly East Brady man’s checking account and credit cards totaling over $3,500.00.

Court documents indicate the Southern Clarion County Regional Police Department filed criminal charges against 24-year-old Rebecca Rachelle Brown, of Karns City, on February 21, in Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey C. Miller’s office.

According to a criminal complaint, police were advised on August 20, 2022, to contact a known male who reported a theft of checks and credit cards that were issued to his wife’s grandfather. The known man reported that the family had discovered unusual credit card transactions along with several checks that belonged to the account owner that were issued to a female by the name of Rebecca Brown. The total unauthorized purchases totaled $3,500.23.

The complainant stated that some of the checks had forged signatures on them and that Brown used to live at the residence as she was in a relationship with the victim’s grandson. The complainant also reported that some of the transactions on the credit cards were Dunkin Donuts, concert tickets, and Etsy purchases, among others, the complaint indicates.

Police advised the complainant that they would respond to the residence and speak with the victim, the complaint notes.

Officers responded to East Brady and spoke with the victim and began an investigation.

On September 10, police conducted an interview at the station with several family members and the complainant. Police obtained copies of two credit card transaction reports along with copies of checks. An officer showed the victim a copy of one of the transaction reports and asked him if he had recognized any transactions that he might have made. The victim said “no,” the complaint indicates.

The officer then showed the victim a copy of the other transaction report and again asked him if he had recognized any transactions on there that he might have made, and again he said “no,” the complaint notes.

The officer then showed copies of the checks that were issued to Brown and was asked if he had recalled making any of the checks out to Brown. He had said he could not recall. The investigators showed the victim that his signature was on the checks that were made out to Brown and asked him if the signatures on there were his. The victim had confirmed that four checks were signed by him and that four checks were not signed by him, according to the complaint.

The complaint states that the victim told police that Brown used to live at his residence.

Police then reviewed both credit card transaction reports along with notifying the companies listed on them. Throughout the investigation, it was confirmed that Brown had used both credit cards to purchase items under her name using the victim’s address. It was confirmed that Brown made the following credit card purchases—Community College of Allegheny County in the amount of $740.00 on June 1, 2022, Jason Aldean tickets in the amount of $81.50 on August 12, 2022, totaling an amount of $821.50, the complaint states.

Investigators then received email confirmations which confirmed that Brown had purchased the following: Scotts Scuba in the amount of $53.00 on June 20, 2022, Scrub Pro in the amount of $96.98 on June 6, 2022, Clove Brand in the amount of $139.00 on March 24, 2022, Planet Fitness in the amount of $49.72 on May 24, 2022, totaling $318.70, the complaint indicates.

On December 14, an interview was conducted at the station with Brown, who confirmed she used to live at the victim’s address on East Fourth Street in East Brady. An officer showed Brown that there was a transaction on the victim’s credit card for a Jason Aldean concert and had asked her if she knew about it. Brown stated that the victim gave her permission to purchase the tickets, the complaint notes.

The officer then showed her the transaction that was made to the Community College of Allegheny County and had asked her if she had made the transaction. Brown stated that the victim had given her permission to make the transaction for her EMT course, the complaint states.

Brown was then asked if she had ever had access to the victim’s credit cards and she said no because they were locked up in a safe in the victim’s bedroom, the complaint indicates.

The officer showed Brown the email confirmations from companies showing that her name and the victim’s address were listed on the items purchased. Brown stated she received the items, and the victim and his grandson were present when the transactions were made, the complaint notes.

After Brown was shown the transaction report from the a credit card company along with the email confirmations, Brown again stated that she received the items and that both the victim and his grandson were present when the transactions were made, the complaint states.

After questioning Brown regarding the credit card transactions, police then began asking her about six checks that were made payable to her under the victim’s checking account. Brown told police that the checks were used for grocery items. Brown stated she would use her own bank card to purchase the items and then the victim would write the checks out to her so she could deposit the amount back into her bank account, the complaint indicates.

Brown was asked if she had any proof showing that she deposited the amount back into her account, and Brown stated she did not, but would get ahold of her bank and get the required documents, the complaint notes.

Throughout the investigation, police never received paperwork from Brown to show that she had used her bank card for the items, the complaint states.

Police then questioned Brown regarding check number 4785 in the amount of $1,178.73 and check number 4772 in the amount of $400.00 that were made out to Scott’s Scuba under the victim’s checking account. Brown advised she had produced receipts of the transactions to the victim. An officer did obtain a copy of a receipt with a transaction of $1,178.73 from the victim’s grandson that had Brown’s name on it, the complaint indicates.

On January 7, police conducted a follow-up interview with the victim’s grandson at the station. Police were advised that throughout the investigation, Brown had contacted him, asking him to speak with his family about dropping charges, the complaint notes.

The victim’s grandson did confirm that Brown had contacted him, asking him to have his family drop charges. He provided a phone log to police. He was then asked if he was ever around Brown when she had made transactions from his grandfather’s credit cards, and he said he was not. He was also asked if he knew if Brown asked his grandfather if she could use his credit cards, and he said he did not know, the complaint indicates.

Police advised the victim’s grandson that an iPad was brought up during the investigation where Brown could have possibly had access at his grandfather’s residence. He was asked if he had ever seen Brown with the iPad, and he confirmed he did. The officer took the iPad as evidence to determine if there was any of the companies listed on the transaction reports, the complaint notes.

Police did not locate anything on the iPad, as there was nothing in the search history, the complaint states.

On February 1, police conducted a follow-up interview with the victim and informed him they needed him to look over the checks again that were shown during the first interview to see if his signatures were on the checks. An officer showed the victim check numbers 4730, 4764, 4732, and 4784, and advised him that these checks were made out to Rebecca Brown. The victim looked over the checks and confirmed that he had signed those checks, the complaint indicates.

The officer then showed the victim check numbers: 4771 and 4778 which were made out to Rebecca Brown, along with check numbers 4772 and 4785 which were made out to Scott’s Scuba. The victim confirmed that the signature on those checks were not his signature and said the signature is “too pretty,” the complaint notes.

Brown was arraigned at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 2, on the following charges in front of Judge Miller:

– Forgery — Unauthorized Act in Writing, Felony 2 (four counts)
– Access Device Issd to Another Who Did Not Auth Use, Felony 3 (two counts)
– Theft By Unlaw Taking-Movable Prop, Felony 3 (four counts)
– Access Device Issd to Another Who Did Not Auth Use, Misdemeanor 1 (four counts)

She is currently free on $5,000.00 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday, March 21, at 9:15 a.m. with Judge Miller presiding.

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