A former home health aide has been arrested and charged with pilfering more $11,000 in unauthorized purchases on the credit cards of an elderly victim under her care. She is facing up to 15 years in prison and $15,000 in fines, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said on Friday.

The caretaker, Kathleen G. Campion, 50, of Belmar, has been charged with one count of third-degree theft by unlawful taking, one count of third-degree fraudulent use of a credit card and one count of fourth-degree theft of credit card.

Campion faces up to five years in a New Jersey state prison on each of the third-degree charges and up to $15,000 in fines if convicted. 

Campion was charged on March 2 following an investigation that began in May of 2018. The Spring Lake Police Department received a call alerting them that there were unauthorized charges on various credit cards belonging to a 90-year-old female victim. It was later discovered that the amount of fraudulent charges made on the victim’s credit cards totaled $11,877.53. 

“It is incumbent on everyone, particularly those of us in law enforcement, to protect the elderly from harm and fraudulent activity. To that end, the Spring Lake Police Department caught an individual who was entrusted with ensuring the health and well-being of an elderly patient and shamelessly exploited that relationship for her own personal gain,” Gramiccioni said. “This arrest demonstrates the value of our partnerships with the local law enforcement agencies that help us remain vigilant and keep an ever-watchful eye over those that are most vulnerable to this type of fraudulent criminal activity.”

The investigation determined that Campion was misappropriating the funds while taking care of the victim, whom she had cared for since 2013.  The unauthorized charges included paying for the defendant’s utility bill, cell phone bill, the defendant’s health insurance and rent.  

The arrest was made by Spring Lake police. 

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office