Lexington County, South Carolina. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of two Columbia women for the exploitation of a vulnerable adult and financial fraud.
Shakedda Monike Stokes, 44, and Lanautica Lashay Major, 27, were detained and lodged into the Lexington County Detention Center on Wednesday and Thursday.
Both ladies were charged with:
Exploiting a vulnerable adult
Purchasing land under false pretenses ($2,000-$10,000)
Criminal conspiracy.
Crimes involving a nationally chartered or insured financial institution
According to a collaborative investigation by the Attorney General’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud Unit and the Lexington Police Department, Major and Stokes conspired to misuse a vulnerable adult’s finances between December 1, 2024 and January 21, 2025.
Major, a caregiver at Oakleaf Village senior living facility in Lexington, is suspected of using a resident’s credit card and banking information without permission, according to officials.
According to investigators, Major and Stokes used the victim’s financial details to carry out fraudulent activities and remove funds from a First Citizens Bank account.
Officials say Oakleaf Village reported the suspected misbehavior to authorities and has fully cooperated with the investigation.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the matter.
