BELIEVE IT OR NOT, POLICE SAY A RHODE ISLAND MAN DRAINED 600,000 DOLLARS FROM FOUR ELDERLY WOMEN WHILE FREQUENTING A CASINO… AND HE NOW FACES UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON.
In May 2019, the Rhode Island State Police Financial Crimes Unit received an initial complaint.
The referral came directly from the Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Unit.
The investigation targeted Mark W. Harmon.
Harmon was 62 years old and lived in Pawtucket.
He had been serving as Power of Attorney for two elderly women.
Both of those women resided in Woonsocket.
They had trusted him with legal control over their finances.
But according to investigators, Harmon failed his fiduciary duty in every way that mattered.
Harmon allegedly liquidated $391,727.20 worth of U.S. Savings Bonds belonging to his victims.
He allegedly sold one of their houses.
Then he cashed out an annuity.
Investigators alleged that Harmon misappropriated the funds from those transactions.
All of it allegedly occurred while Harmon was regularly frequenting Twin River Casino.
State police continued to examine his financial activity.
And as investigators dug in, they identified two more victims with the same pattern.
In total, the four elderly victims lost a combined $600,000.
Harmon was arrested.
He was formally charged with six criminal offenses.
Those charges included two counts of exploitation of an elder.
He was also charged with three counts of unlawful appropriation.
In addition, Harmon faced one count of obtaining money under false pretenses over $1,500.
Harmon was arraigned.
He was released on $10,000 personal recognizance.
No-contact orders were issued for all four victims.
If convicted on the exploitation charges alone, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
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