BY STACI WILSON
A Carbondale area couple faces theft charges after they allegedly stole over $81,000 from an elderly woman.
Roseann Arthur DeAntonio, 47, and her husband, John DeAntonio IV, 35, were charged by Susquehanna County detectives with felony counts of theft and conspiracy. John DeAntonio also faces a felony count of forgery. Both waived their March 31 preliminary hearings in Clifford District Court, moving the case on to the Court of Common Pleas.
According to an affidavit, Roseann was appointed power of attorney in 2008 for Rose Corrigan, age 94, a resident of the Forest City Personal Care Facility since 2005.
County detectives were notified in 2013 from the care home attorney, David Bianco, who alleged he believed Corrigan was being financially exploited by Roseann DeAntonio.
Bianco had filed a civil suit in 2012 against Corrigan and Roseann DeAntonio because of a $20,000 delinquency owed to the care home. According to court filing, Bianco had determined Corrigan had sufficient funds deposited monthly to her bank account to cover rent and board and that it appeared DeAntonia was not using Corrigan’s funds for the elderly woman’s benefit.
A forensic financial audit of Corrigan’s bank accounts and assets was performed through the Institute of Protective Services at Temple University by Roberta Kostick, a certified crimes investigator.
According to the affidavit, the audit revealed that $81,737 in funds belonging to Corrigan had been debited from her account by Roseann and John DeAntonio IV.
Funds were debited through transfers to accounts that were not Corrigan’s; checks were issued for purposes other than to benefit Corrigan; cash withdrawals; and electronic debits.
According to the affidavit, Corrigan did not authorize any of the transactions and were not aware her money was being used for the DeAntonio’s personal use.
The investigation also revealed that as power of attorney, DeAntonio failed to keep an accounting of the use of Corrigan’s assets and also allowed her husband to use Corrigan’s funds for their own personal benefit.
Both Roseann and John DeAntonio remain free on unsecured bail. A formal arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, April 14.
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