Woman accused of defrauding assisted living patient out of nearly $310,000

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – An Oconee County woman is accused of defrauding an assisted living patient out of nearly $310,000.

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said 43-year-old Chanda Sargent of Salem is charged with financial transaction card fraud and 11 counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

The attorney general’s office said that between January 19 and January 31, Sargent made $5,747.90 worth of charges on the victim’s debit card.

Later, between February 14 and June 30, the attorney general’s office said that Sargent used her position as power of attorney to defraud the victim out of funds and assets totaling $304,000.

The case was referred to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office by the Appalachian Council of Governments’ Long Term Care Ombudsman.

Sargent was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center Monday and released on $120,000 bond.