The investigation began after the man's family filed a complaint in October 2022. They suspected that the distant cousin was trying to appropriate the 62-year-old's money and contacted the local carabinieri station.
The investigators uncovered a sophisticated system. The woman apparently exploited the relationship of trust and the victim's mental impairment. She persuaded him to open several bank and postal accounts and register her as co-owner. Between October 2022 and January 2023, she then allegedly persuaded the man to transfer large sums of money from his private account to the new joint accounts. As soon as the money was received there, the 56-year-old withdrew it. In total, she stole over 400,000 euros.
Based on the evidence gathered, the woman was reported to the public prosecutor's office in Avellino. The authority has now completed the preliminary investigation and shares the assessment of the carabinieri. The woman must now answer for her actions.
