Queensland man accused of defrauding his elderly mother of $1m

A Queensland man has been accused of defrauding his elderly mother of more than $1m while she was too sick to intervene.

A man has been accused of defrauding his elderly mother of more than $1m while she was too sick to intervene.

Police allege the 64-year-old man stole over $1.145 million dollars from his 83-year-old mum, who was too sick to provide him with permission to access the funds.

The man’s June 7 arrest comes just one week before today’s annual Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and serves as a reminder to the community to keep watch of our most vulnerable Queenslanders.

“In all of my 42 years of policing, I find these types of offences the most gut wrenching and

disturbing, that someone could treat their loved ones this way,” Queensland Police Detective Superintendent Lance Vercoe of the Financial and Cyber Crime Group said.

“I would recommend that the elderly and vulnerable never feel ashamed and to take control if this behaviour occurs and always reach out to a support person or friend.”

Devastatingly, over 80 per cent of all financial elder abuse in Queensland is at the hands of friends or family members, The Public Trustee states.

It was a 2021 tip-off from The Public Trustee, on behalf of the elderly Gold Coast woman, that alerted detectives to the 64-year-old man’s alleged misappropriated funds from his mother’s bank accounts.

Following the complaint, detectives from the Financial and Cyber Crime Group undertook a protracted investigation and identified the alleged offending had occurred over a four year time period.

Detectives allege between 2014 and 2016, the man was able to transfer over $1.145 million dollars from his mum’s bank accounts into his own.

“Police will allege that due to illness, the woman did not have capacity to provide him with permission to access these funds,” a statement from Queensland Police said.

“Police will also allege the man never held an authority of enduring power of attorney to lawfully access her finances.”

The man also allegedly used the woman’s debit card to make over $150,000 in

unauthorised purchases or withdrawals for his own use, while by May 2018, the woman’s account had been left nearly empty, police allege.

The man was charged with fraud greater than $100,000 after Financial and Cyber Crime Group detectives executed a search warrant at the man’s Melbourne home, with assistance from Victoria Police Financial Crime Squad.

He is due to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court July 4 2022, while the community is being urged to stay vigilant to elder abuse.

“We all have a role in raising awareness of elder abuse and financial fraud to reduce the risk of elder abuse in the community,” The Public Trustee CEO Samay Zhouand said.

If you know of someone who may be a victim, or believe you are a victim of elder or financial abuse and the matter is not urgent, contact the government funded Uniting Care Elder Abuse Prevention Unit on 1300 651 192 for confidential advice.

For more information, visit: https://www.police.qld.gov.au/domestic-violence/elder-abuse