Connecticut woman, 63, allegedly made her husband believe he had Alzheimer’s to steal his money.
Donna Marino, a 63-year-old woman, has allegedly stolen nearly $600,000 from her husband after convincing him he had Alzheimer’s disease. The scheme has been going on for the last 20 years, according to New Haven’s police.
To get the money, Marino has been cashing in on his pension checks, workers’ compensation payments, and Social Security income. Afterward, she would deposit the cash in a secret bank account, as per WTNH. Meanwhile, her 73-year-old husband has been completely oblivious to her devious plan.
Police speculate that the woman successfully forged her man’s signature on legal documents. To make her deception even more believable, she had made him believe he suffers from Alzheimer’s. As described by the Alzheimer’s Association, it is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior.
Capt. Joseph M. Murgo explained:
“She believed that convincing him that he had Alzheimer’s disease would prevent him from going to the bank, ultimately, to discover the low balances on his accounts.”
What’s more, the scammer even had a friend notarize a legal document that granted her power of attorney for her husband.
In March 2019, Marino’s husband and his adult daughter, Elena Marino, went to the New Haven Police Department to report the crime. They said Donna had been stealing his money ever since 1999. Moreover, she had always had control over their family finances.
According to an affidavit obtained by the New Haven Register, Elena unveiled the scheme “when she found financial paperwork laying around.” However, she later contacted the local authorities and said her father no longer wanted to pursue charges for undisclosed reasons.
But in 2020, Eleena demanded the reopening of the case after her dad filed for divorce.
Last Wednesday, Marino turned herself in. As reported by WFSB, she was arrested on charges of first-degree larceny and third-degree forgery.
The 63-year-old woman is also accused of pawning some of her husband’s belongings without his consent. Nevertheless, she was released the following day on a promise to appear for her next court date on November 29.
