Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
Police said the aide used Cash App transfers over several months and later admitted to taking the money
Two felony charges were withdrawn, and two other felonies were held over for Bucks County Common Pleas Court, after a preliminary hearing Tuesday for a Telford Borough home health aide accused of stealing more than $10,000 from a blind client over six months.
Charges of access device fraud and receiving stolen property were withdrawn against Anthony L. Hughes, 43, of the 2400 block of North Garnet Street, but charges of theft and financial exploitation of an older adult were held for arraignment and trial in court.
Hughes, who worked for a home care company based in Lower Salford Township, was charged after a case worker noticed suspicious withdrawals and alerted the company owner, according to the affidavit.
Investigators said the transactions, totaling $10,520.77, were traced to Cash App transfers allegedly initiated by Hughes from the client’s account.
According to the affidavit, the company owner learned of the withdrawals after reviewing bank records at the client’s apartment. The fraud department at the client’s bank confirmed a pattern of transfers from the account directly to Hughes. Police said the Cash App was not found on the client’s phone and that the victim relied heavily on in–home aides due to significant vision impairment.
Hughes later allegedly told investigators he had “borrowed” the money because he needed vehicle repairs to travel to work. He admitted sending himself additional transfers but claimed he was unaware the total exceeded $10,000, according to the complaint. Police said Hughes repaid $4,074, leaving a remaining balance of $6,446.77.
He is free on $75,000 unsecured bail and will be formally arraigned on March 27. He is represented by Bensalem attorney Gregg David Shore.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
