New Jersey woman charged in case of $164,000 stolen from elderly man

A New Jersey woman was arrested following a complaint from an elderly man who had over $164,000 stolen from his personal checking accounts, according to the Old Saybrook police.

An Old Saybrook resident reported the fraud to the police in February. An investigation into the report revealed that a fraudulent online account had been created through the victim’s account, with a checkbook ordered and shipped to New Jersey.

Police obtained 10 separate search and seizure warrants and executed them at different financial institutions, police said.

“We will not tolerate our elderly citizens being targeted by criminals,” Old Saybrook Chief Michael Spera said. “We will use every tool we have to protect them and bring those to justice who prey on our most trusting and vulnerable residents.”

Police determined that Ashlee Crawford, 33, of Plainfield, New Jersey, had written and cashed fraudulent checks obtained from the victim’s bank account.

She was allegedly seen on video surveillance footage depositing and withdrawing the fraudulently obtained funds from her bank account. Police obtained an arrest warrant for her, and other allegedly involved people, with two counts of second-degree forgery and first-degree larceny, police said.

She is the second person to be arrested in this case. Allegedly accomplice Shannon Outlaw II of North Brunswick, New Jersey, was arrested and charged in the case earlier this year, police said.

Another warrant in this case is outstanding at the moment, the police said. Vancouver, Washington resident Vitaliy Litvinenko is wanted on an active warrant in connection with the case, police said.

Crawford was extradited to Old Saybrook from Hackensack, New Jersey, Tuesday. She is currently being held on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Middletown Superior Court on Wednesday.