BRYAN, Texas (KRHD) — On Monday, a judge sentenced a woman to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for her role in a scheme that defrauded a 64-year-old College Station woman of $260,000, nearly all her life savings.
Crystal Allen pled guilty to theft of property $150,000-$300,000, theft from the elderly $2,500-$30,000, and possession of a controlled substance.
The investigation started in September 2021 after the victim was in the hospital for an injury. The Brazos County District Attorney Office said in a press release that a family member caring for the elderly woman noticed large amounts of money missing from her accounts and contacted the College Station Police Department.
Detectives found that over the course of a year, Allen emptied the victim's finances.
Allen first met the victim in October 2020 and started offering to help her with errands, cleaning, and deliveries.
"As she gained the victim's trust, Allen secretly obtained access to her personal and financial information. She fraudulently opened bank accounts, paid her own bills using the victim's money, and transferred funds to herself using digital payment platforms such as PayPal and Square," the press release said.
At the beginning of Allen and the victim's relationship, the victim had over $260,000 across three bank accounts. When the theft was discovered, the three bank accounts had a combined balance of less than $4,000.
At the time of the exploitation and theft, Allen had a prior conviction for burglary of a habitation which she previously served a prison sentenced for. While these charges were pending, Allen was also arrested in Burleson County for theft by check charges, showing a continued pattern of dishonest and criminal behavior.
As part of the judge's sentence, Allen is to pay the $260,000 in restitution to compensate the victim for her losses.
The Brazos County District Attorney's Office says that there could potentially be more victims of Allen, since she continued to advertise that she was an elderly assistant even after this arrest. The District Attorney's Office asks that if people believe they are a victim to come forward and to contact the College Station Police Department.
"This case highlights how financial predators can insert themselves into the lives of vulnerable individuals under the guise of helping. This defendant didn't just steal money - she stole security, peace of mind, and years of trust. We are grateful to the College Station Police Department for their thorough and diligent investigation."
This case was investigated by Detective Stephen Schoellman with the College Station Police Department. Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Porter and Kevin Capps prosecuted the case of behalf of the State of Texas with the help of Investigator Tiffany Graves and Victim Assistance Coordinator Shae Cooks.
