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Bucks County resident Keith Jerome signed a Power of Attorney form, giving Kenneth Neeld, Jr., 47, authority to manage his financial assets on March 9, 2016, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.
An investigation by the Office of Attorney General’s Special Agent, Rachel Story, determined that Neeld repeatedly stole money from Jerome and his estate, most typically by transferring money directly to his own bank accounts from March 2016 through September 2020, Shapiro said.
Jerome died on September 7, 2016, Shapiro said.
It is also alleged that Neeld used Jerome’s money to directly pay his own personal bills, such as the cost of a vacation home rental, federal income taxes, state income taxes, local taxes, real estate taxes, an orthodontist bill, a veterinary bill, auto repair bills, auto insurance premiums, credit card bills, EZ pass bills, and parking tickets, Shapiro said.
Additionally, Neeld also reportedly donated Jerome’s money to non-profits not included in the will, transferred ownership of Jerome’s car to himself, charged Jerome’s insurance company for a funeral that Neeld never performed, forged a document suggesting that Jerome owed Neeld money that he’d already stolen, and provided false information on the Jerome Estate tax return in order to conceal his thefts, Shapiro said.
To facilitate his thefts, Neeld allegedly led another insurance company to believe that Jerome was still alive, Shapiro said.
In total, Neeld stole $257,916 from the charities that were the sole beneficiaries of Jerome’s will, Shapiro said.
“Mr. Neeld was supposed to carry out the will of a terminally ill man, but instead exploited that trust for his own gain and stole thousands of dollars meant for local charities,” Shapiro said.
“Part of having a dignified end-of-life is the peace of mind knowing that your final wishes will be carried out — and it is despicable when that trust is violated for profit. Pennsylvanians can be certain that my office is on the lookout for these crimes and will hold anyone accountable who fails to faithfully carry out their responsibilities.”
Neeld is charged with felony counts for theft, forgery, insurance fraud, and related charges.
The case was investigated by Special Agent Rachel Story and is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General M. Eric Schoenberg.
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