CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A woman who was employed as a caregiver is accused of taking advantage of an older man to obtain money in Cranberry Township, Venango County.

Court documents indicate the Franklin-based State Police filed criminal charges against 28-year-old Salena Rae Updegraff, of New Castle.

According to a criminal complaint, Salena Updegraff is believed to have been obtaining money from a known victim by taking advantage of his older age, and his declining memory. It is believed that she had him write checks to her, thus unlawfully providing her with money.

Bank records show the following in the victim’s bank records:

– 2015: $16,350.00 made out to “cash”
– 2016: $5,550.00 made out to “cash”
– 2016: $2,250.00 made out directly to Updegraff
– 2017: $7,500.00 made out to “cash”
– 2017: $2,650.00 made out directly to Updegraff

The son of the victim stated that the suspect was employed by the family as a caregiver for the victim’s wife, prior to her death. Since then, she has stayed in contact with the victim. He also related that a few weeks ago, he and his sister, had come to his father’s house and noticed that Updegraff was there and that the two had just been shopping. They noticed that the victim only had one item and that Updegraff was loading her trunk with items that had just been purchased by the victim, the complaint states.

It was also discovered that the victim had given her money. At this time, Updegraff was called and told to return the money or that they were going to call the police.

Upon looking at further bank statements it showed that the victim had written out many checks to Updegraff and many more checks out to cash.

On October 9, 2017, Updegraff told police she worked for the victim as a caregiver when his wife was still living, and she last worked with him when the incident occurred that led to this report being made. She related she would work whenever he called her asking for assistance. He paid her $11 per hour, “under the table.” She said she last worked for him on the day his son called her and had her return the money, $350.00, that he had lent her. This was the incident that led to this incident being reported.

Updegraff told police she would go out and eat with the victim, and she would go out shopping with the victim, and on these occasions, the victim would pay. She said this occurred because he would insist on paying. He also bought her food on occasion when she did not have any money or her credit was maxed out. She told police she had been lent money by the victim, but that she intends to return it. She does not have any documents indicating how much money it is; however, she said she believes that it is $5,000.00 to $6,000.00. She said she felt that the victim would have the exact amount she owed him, due to the fact that he was very orderly and kept detailed accounts of the money he spent, according to the complaint.

She told police she did not unlawfully take money from the victim. She felt that if he was interviewed that he would support her account of this incident that the money was loaned to her, it was not stolen unlawfully in any way.

On February 20, Updegraff told police she and the victim would go shopping together, both for items he was purchasing and for items she was purchasing, and on some occasions, the victim would pay for the items she was purchasing for her and her family. She advised if she was “short, he would pay,” the complaint states.

When asked about these purchases that he made for her, she related that it “probably was wrong, but she never asked him to do it,” according to the complaint.

She was asked about specific checks that had been made out to her, and supplied the following:

– 12/01/2016 — $600.00: He did this to help with Christmas
– 01/25/2017 — $800.00: To help with bills and groceries
– 04/07/2017 — $500.00: “maybe her rent”
– 04/19/2017 — $850.00: “That was for rent and everything else”
– 06/12/2017 — $200:00: She “just borrowed it”
– 06/25/2017 — $300.00: Unknown

She again related that she was “between a rock and a hard place,” but these transactions were her borrowing with the intent of paying him back. She was then asked how much she owed the victim. She said $6,000.00, the complaint states.

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed on February 21, at Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey’s office:

– Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Theft By Deception-False Impression

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on April 18 with Judge Lowrey presiding.

A certified summon was issued on February 21.