CONOVER, N.C. — A 45-year-old Conover woman is facing federal charges after prosecutors alleged she stole more than $300,000 from her parents.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft against Andrea Brawley this week. Investigators allege that Brawley had been defrauding the couple since August 2016, accusing her of exploiting her relationship with the victims to steal their money and property, as well as impersonating them throughout the scheme.
The victims, identified as J.S. and M.S. in court documents, gave Brawley access to their personal and company bank accounts with the expectation that she would manage the couple’s personal bills and business affairs.
Instead, Brawley allegedly began to transfer the funds to herself, causing the victims to suffer from severe financial loss. J.S. and M.S. lost their house after it foreclosed due to Brawley not paying their home equity line of credit.
The victims also lost their retirement savings after Brawley drained their accounts by forging retirement distribution forms without their knowledge and consent. Throughout the course of this scheme, Brawley defrauded the victims and M.S.’s company of more than $300,000, the indictment shows.
“When you stop and consider the true impact of elder financial fraud, it is devastating,” said Special Agent Robert M. DeWitt. “People should not work 40 years or longer only to have their life savings swindled away. The FBI will work tirelessly to protect the elderly and help educate them and those who love them, how not to fall victim to fraud.”
The indictment also alleges that Brawley lied about the cause of the victim’s home’s foreclosure and the state of their financial and personal affairs. It also alleges that Brawley transported the couple, identified to WCNC Charlotte as her parents, to various locations around the state and prevented them from returning to their residence.
It is also alleged that Brawley engaged in identity theft using names, addresses and unique account numbers that belonged to the victims. Brawley faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for mail fraud and will serve a maximum of two more years after that for aggravated identity theft if convicted.
Dena J. King, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced the charges on Thursday. She was joined by Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making the announcement.
King thanked both units for their help in investigating the case. It has now been passed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte for prosecution.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).