UTICA, N.Y. — The New York State Police announced that on Tuesday they arrested a Utica woman for stealing more than $170,000 from a Utica man, for whom she was assigned as a power of attorney.
State Police in Oneida arrested Becky M. Kelsey, age 60, for one count of 2nd degree grand larceny (value over $50,000 – a felony) after a one-year-long investigation.
State Police say that from July 2015 to October 2019, Kelsey was assigned as a power of attorney (POA) for the 72-year-old male victim. During that time, Kelsey “abused her position as POA and subsequently utilized her ward’s money for her own personal benefit,” per the State Police.
In October 2019, the Oneida County Surrogate Court removed Kelsey as POA after discrepancies were noted with her ward’s accounts when the ward was admitted into a long-term care facility. An investigation and audit revealed that more than $170,000 was missing from the accounts.
Kelsey was arrested at her residence in Utica and transported to the New York State Police Troop D station in Marcy for processing. She was arraigned in Oneida County Centralized Arraignment Court and released on her own recognizance.