Pierce County authorities have charged Madonna Debby Page, 40, with multiple counts of theft for allegedly stealing more than $200,000 from an 86-year-old man suffering from dementia.
The charges were filed March 22 in connection with the thefts that Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist said occurred between June 17, 2010 and Feb. 29, 2012. Paige pleaded not guilty. A jury trial in Superior Court is scheduled to begin June 5.
The county “vigorously prosecutes cases of elder fraud and theft,” said Lindquist. “We encourage family and friends of elder victims to come forward and report these crimes against some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The prosecutor’s office gave this account of what led to the allegations against Page:
When the defendant and the victim met, he was living independently, but had been experiencing health problems for years. Friends and neighbors said he was becoming increasingly forgetful. One neighbor became concerned after she assisted the victim with his finances and discovered several checks written to the defendant for large sums of money. At one point, the defendant accompanied the victim to his attorney’s office while he tried to add her as a beneficiary to his estate. The attorney refused because he believed the victim lacked capacity.
In August 2011, Adult Protective Services (APS) received an anonymous report that the victim was being financially exploited by the defendant. An APS employee made an unannounced visit to the victim. When questioned about his finances, he was surprised at the amount of money believed to be missing. The APS employee explained that if the trend continued, there may not be enough money for him to care for his wife, but the victim stated, “That isn’t going to happen any time soon.” The defendant added, “I should know, I write the checks for (his wife’s) care.”
In November 2011, the victim’s primary care provider stated the victim was suffering from dementia. The APS employee contacted the defendant at the victim’s home. The defendant explained that she “takes care of him and he takes care of her.” She added that they were merely companions. The defendant was married to another 81-year-old man at the time. When questioned about an estimated $100,000 she spent from the victim’s account in a two-month period, she stated, “He gives me the money. Tell them. You do it because you want to.”
In February 2012, a Vulnerable Adult Protection Order was obtained, restraining the defendant from contact with the victim. The victim was evaluated by a physician, who stated that the victim needed assistance in managing his personal and financial affairs. A detailed investigation revealed the defendant spent approximately $112,495.83 at local businesses, including nail salons and a gynecology office. She also gambled $11,669.50 of the victim’s money at local casinos. In total, the defendant benefitted over $200,000.