Bensalem Woman Charged With Financial Abuse Of Grandmother: DA

BENSALEM, PA — A Bensalem woman was sentenced to prison in Bucks County's first conviction related to a new law protecting seniors from financial abuse.

Rebecca Scott, 43, entered guilty pleas on Wednesday related to financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, theft by unlawful taking, access device fraud, and forgery, which are all felonies of the third degree.

Scott admitted to stealing and cashing a $6,500 check that was meant for her 89-year-old grandmother in April and September of 2021. She also admitted to stealing another check and attempting to alter the amount to $10,000. Scott also attempted to order a box of checks in her grandmother's name around the same time.

Scott's conviction is the first in Bucks County history that came as a direct result of a recently passed law that protects senior citizens from financial abuse. The law, which was passed in August of 2021, makes it a felony for a family member or any other persons in a position of trust to fraudulently take or attempt to take money and/or assets from anyone over the age of 60.

Common Pleas Judge Diane E. Gibbons sentenced Scott to one year less a day to two years less a day in the county jail, as well as five years of probation. Judge Gibbons also ordered her to repay all the money she took at $200 a month.

Judge Gibbons described Scott as a "con woman" during the sentencing.

"You engaged in a systematic victimization of the most vulnerable people you could possibly find," Gibbons said in handing down the sentence.

Scott's grandmother initially reported that her granddaughter was stealing from her on Sept. 28 of 2021. She told police that she had missing checks and believed that Scott was the one who had stolen them.

According to Deputy District Attorney Marc J. Furbe, Scott also had three prior convictions of financial crimes. They include her receiving a $4,000 loan from a 75-year-old family friend and then repaying her with bad checks, making four unauthorized transactions for more than $4,400 from another person’s bank account, and a check-kiting scheme that cost a Bensalem bank $4,000.

"Scott is a serial thief who violated her 89-year-old grandmother’s trust," District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. "She will now spend up to two years behind bars for preying on one of society’s most vulnerable members. I credit Bensalem PD and Deputy DA Furber for protecting this victim from additional harm."