A father-daughter duo from New York was sentenced after being found guilty of embezzling over $230,000 from an elderly victim. Frank Whittaker, 56, and his daughter Christine Ellsworth, 39, exploited the trust of a 92-year-old Ulster County resident, whom they initially assisted with chores and household tasks. According to the New York Attorney General's Office, Whittaker had managed to get himself appointed as Power of Attorney (POA), enabling the pair to write checks and transfer funds unlawfully for their personal use between July 2021 and August 2022.
Trusted to provide aid, Whittaker and Ellsworth took advantage to quietly pillage the financial resources of one deemed vulnerable by society. Whittaker received a sentence of five years probation and was ordered to pay restitution totalling $192,000, while Ellsworth's sentence constituted three years probation with an additional restriction banning her from working with elderly individuals. "Scamming vulnerable seniors out of their savings that took a lifetime of hard work to earn is heartless," said Attorney General Letitia James, condemning the crime and assuring that justice would be served to those defraud New York residents, as noted by the New York Attorney General's Office.
The embezzled funds were found to have been lavishly spent on personal leisure, including a new 2021 GMC Sierra pickup truck, shopping sprees, dining at local restaurants, and gambling activities at various casinos. In their pursuit of material pleasure, the perpetrators seemed to disregard the years of diligent saving by their elderly victim. Following their arrest, law enforcement recovered over $92,000 from Whittaker's bank account, which contributed to the restitution amount set forth in the sentencing.
The thorough investigation was a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies, including the New York State Police's Financial Crimes Unit and the Ulster County District Attorney's Office. All played a key role to ultimately unveil the extent of the deception.“This joint investigation found that Mr. Whittaker and Ms. Ellsworth preyed on a vulnerable victim who entrusted them to provide care for her, but instead chose to financially profit off her situation. The New York State Police will continue to put an end to these crimes and ensure innocent victims will not be taken advantage of,” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James remarked in a statement highlighting the weight of their betrayal, as mentioned by the same press release.
Assistant Attorney General Cheryl J. Lee of the Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau led the prosecution of this case, with support from various legal and forensic analysts.
