OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — A woman has been arrested for the alleged exploitation of an elderly Okaloosa County resident.
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Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit announced the arrest of Cheri Lynn Meyer, a power of attorney, for allegedly financially exploiting the 79-year-old. Meyer is accused of taking more than $43,600 from the victim despite being responsible for the resident’s finances to be used for health care, Moody said.
“This individual, who was supposed to look after a senior as a power of attorney, depleted tens of thousands of dollars from an elderly resident’s bank account,” said Moody.
“I’m thankful that our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigators were alerted to this situation and put a stop to it.”
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According to the investigation, Meyer, while in a position of trust with the victim—who was reportedly suffering from aging infirmities—systematically withdrew funds directly from the victim’s account in the form of ATM transactions and checks between October 2021 and September 2022.
Witness accounts, facility records, and bank records are said to show the funds deposited into Meyer’s account did not benefit the victim while residing at a care facility.
Over the course of being the victim’s power of attorney, Meyer allegedly submitted only one $500 payment for medical services that successfully cleared the victim’s bank. Meyer is said to have given numerous reasons for not paying for the victim’s medical services and reportedly proved to be uncooperative when pressed to make the payments and learn how to properly manage the victim’s finances.
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Meyer faces one count of exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult less than $50,000, a second-degree felony.
Attorney General Moody’s MFCU will prosecute the case through an agreement with the State Attorney’s Office for the First Judicial Circuit.
