Two women have been arrested and charged with exploiting an elderly man in Union County, North Carolina, after convincing him to allow them to move into his home and extorting money from him. The case unfolded after deputies responded to a trespassing call on May 2, where they discovered the women had been asked to leave the residence multiple times.
The Exploitation Scheme
The investigation revealed that 56-year-old Sylvia Marks and 34-year-old Brittany Nicholas had been extorting the elderly man for months. The scam began when Marks approached the victim at a grocery store, claiming her name was Anna and asking if he remembered her.
Over the next few weeks, Marks convinced the man to let her move into his home, and later, she persuaded him to let Nicholas move in, falsely presenting her as her daughter.
The victim reported giving about $25,000 to Marks and Nicholas over a short period. He also noticed several items, including rings, were missing. Nicholas allegedly assaulted the man a few days prior, leaving bruises on his arm.
Charges and Arrests
Both Marks and Nicholas were charged with two counts of exploitation of an elder and two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony. Marks also faces charges of misdemeanor larceny, obtaining property by false pretenses, and resisting, delaying, and obstructing.
She is being held under a $501,000 bond. Nicholas has additional charges of assault and resisting, delaying, and obstructing during the investigation. She is being held under a $400,000 bond. Both women are currently in custody at the Union County Detention Center.
Investigation and Warnings
Detectives discovered that this was not an isolated incident and identified another victim who had been targeted using the same tactics. Lt. Matt Winfrey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office urged families to check on elderly loved ones regularly to prevent exploitation and scams.
“This is a sad situation where these individuals exploited a vulnerable person,” Lt. Winfrey said. “It’s crucial that we stay involved and make sure our seniors are protected.”
The Union County Sheriff’s Office stressed the importance of staying vigilant and involved in the lives of elderly family members to help prevent future exploitation.
