An Orlando, Florida City Commissioner is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a 96-year-old woman. Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill was arrested Thursday, March 28th, and is facing up to 180 years in prison for spending an elderly woman’s money on personal lifestyle changes. On Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the suspension of Commissioner Hill at the Orlando City Council’s board workshop.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), “Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill, 58, was arrested and charged with three counts of exploitation of the elderly, two counts of fraudulent use of personal identification, one count of mortgage fraud and one count of scheming to defraud over $50,000.” Hill allegedly spent the majority of this money on cosmetic procedures, home renovations, and other pricey personal expenses according to local authorities.
While it was noted by investigators that Hill may have originally had good intentions to help this woman, she eventually took advantage of this woman’s financial resources without her consent. Only one month after meeting the 96-year-old woman Hill was able to obtain power of attorney over the woman. Hill obtained power of attorney although there was no prior relationship between the two women according to the FDLE agent’s affidavit. We see in this scenario that this elderly woman did not have proper guardianship and was taken advantage of by commissioner Hill.
Guardianships can protect people who are victimized by elder abuse. Under Rule 17 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, testamentary or general guardians can bring and defend lawsuits on behalf of an incompetent person(s) they are appointed to protect. Here at Lord & Lindley, our job is to step in when someone incompetent is being taken advantage of financially and prevent any further unwanted spending of exploited finances.
If your loved one is a victim of financial abuse and lacks the ability to protect and defend himself or herself, please call us at (704) 405-8999 to discuss how we can help you. For more information regarding our firm, attorneys, and practice areas, please visit our website at Lord & Lindley.