Investigating financial crimes against vulnerable adults

Family members, friends and caregivers often prey on defenseless adults. Here’s a “starter kit” to aid CFEs on how to gather and analyze financial, medical and real estate records; present cases to prosecuting authorities; and conduct successful interviews.

When the family of Reginald Lucraft placed him in the care of Myles Roberts, they couldn’t have imagined they’d have to spend three years after his death fighting for his assets. But after battling banks to understand how fraud was committed against Lucraft, they got their answer. Roberts admitted to defrauding Lucraft between 2004 and 2014.

According to The Telegraph article, ‘We placed our trust in a carer – but he stole more than £100,000’ on April 25 by Amelia Murray, Roberts withdrew large sums from Lucraft’s accounts and sold shares on the pretext that he’d gone into a care home. He also borrowed 82,500 pounds in Lucraft’s name secured against his London home and falsely claimed to be Lucracft’s next of kin, his son or his grandson. In January, Roberts was sentenced to 32 months in prison.