The Berks County District Attorney’s Office has charged a Reading, PA woman following allegations of Senior Financial Exploitation/Fraud. Detectives initiated the investigation on November 16, 2023 after it was reported that money had been diverted from an elderly victim without her knowledge or consent.
The investigation revealed that between 2022-2023, the defendant, 58-year-old Tracey L. Hoffman, fraudulently obtained and issued numerous personal checks drawn from a bank account belonging to the victim, without the victim’s consent.
According to the district attorney’s office, the checks totaled over $9,000. In addition, it was determined that the defendant had taken a credit card belonging to the victim without the victim’s consent. The investigation revealed that over $12,000 in unauthorized credit card transactions were made by the defendant utilizing this stolen credit card.
During the course of the investigation, detectives say surveillance footage was obtained from numerous retail establishments, which depicted the defendant utilizing the victim’s stolen credit card to make various purchases.
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the Hoffman was charged with Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult or Care-Dependent Person, Identity Theft, Forgery, Access Device Fraud, Theft by Unlawful Taking, Theft by Deception, Receiving Stolen Property, Fraudulent Destruction, Removal, or Concealment of Recordable Instruments, Tampering with Records or Identification, Bad Checks, and Defrauding Secured Creditors. A warrant of arrest was issued for the defendant.
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the defendant was taken into custody by members of the Berks County Detectives.
The defendant was transported to the Berks County Sheriff’s Central Processing Center located at the Berks County Courthouse where she was fingerprinted and photographed. The defendant was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Dean Patton. She was released on $100,000 unsecured bail.
A Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
