Care home owner admits to defrauding elderly patients
Apr. 15—ASHLAND — A plea agreement has been entered in U.S. District Court for a woman accused of defrauding her elderly patients.
Donna Sue Glass, 52, of Argillite, the owner and operator of Glass Family Care Home, was arraigned in December on seven counts of wire fraud in federal court.
U.S. Prosecutors allege Glass operated a care home for elderly patients where she declared herself as guardian or as a signee on her patients bank accounts where she withdrew thousands to pay for personal expenses.
According to court documents, Glass exploited at least two patients from 2013 to 2018.
Glass reportedly suggested she be added as a signor on the bank account of a man who showcased signs of dementia while in her care.
As a result, she drained the man's account to pay for expenditures ranging from personal vacations, expenses for her child's beauty pageants, monthly tanning memberships and veterinary care for her own pets.
Within plea agreement documents, Glass admits to operating with the intent to deceive the man.
Glass requested guardianship over a second patient with multiple physical and mental ailments and was court-appointed to take charge of the patient's finances, per court records.
Further documentation states Glass admits to draining the patient's savings by increasing "rent" to the facility, while being fully aware of the patient's monthly retirement funds provided by a Railroad Retirement board.
Prosecutors allege Glass inflated the cost of rent "well beyond her income so that (the patient) would incur substantial debt."
In addition, Glass remained the patient's guardian even after she was moved to a "higher level nursing facility" where Glass allegedly failed to pay the nursing facility although she had complete access to funds from the Railroad Retirement fund under the guise that the patient still "owed" her money.
"Instead of paying the nursing facility for (the patient's) care, (Glass) continued to accept and spend the funds from (the patient's) Railroad Retirement Board Funds," the plea agreement reads.
Through the proposed plea negotiation, Glass will plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud — which carry a statutory punishment of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Sentencing guidelines proposed by U.S. Attorneys and Glass's attorney, Michael Curtis, suggest eight to 14 months of imprisonment, although the court has the ultimate decision to either extend or lower that time or probate it.
In addition, Glass will also be required to pay nearly $100,000 in restitution to the estates of her victims.
The parties mention in plea documents they disagreed on increasing Glass's offense level based on the restitution exceeding $95,000.
Glass is permitted to remain out of custody under strict conditions until an official sentencing scheduled for Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. in Ashland.
(606) 326-2652 — mjepling@dailyindependent.com
