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2 southern Arizona women indicted in elder care fraud scheme

2 southern Arizona women indicted in elder care fraud scheme
Posted at 7:28 AM, Nov 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-08 09:30:37-05

Two women in southern Arizona have been indicted by a federal grand jury in an elder care fraud scheme.
    

Prosecutors say 59-year-old Margaret Arlene Gastelum of San Manuel and 36-year-old Mona Lisa Rodriguez of Tucson are charged in a 72-count indictment.
    
They're facing bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy and scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 16.
    
Prosecutors say Gastelum and Rodriguez provided home care assistance for a 91-year-old victim from 2015 through 2017.
    
The defendants allegedly gained access to the victim's banking information and fraudulently transferred or used funds.
    
The women also allegedly used the victim's credit cards, obtained credit cards without the victim's knowledge and consent, and overcharged for services.
    
As a result of the defendants' scheme to defraud, prosecutors say the victim lost about $184,000.