Erica Hopper is accused of embezzlement, theft, and fraud after allegedly stealing from a 94-year-old Navy veteran with Alzheimer’s who was surviving on his military pension and social security.
Montgomery County police said that the 45-year-old accused of the crime is his own granddaughter, as reported by NBC 4 Washington.
Hopper was granted power of attorney after her grandfather moved into an assisted living facility in Silver Spring following the loss of his wife of more than 60 years.
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: Family of 6 homeless after falling prey to apartment scam
According to the charging document, police accuse Hopper of spending her grandfather’s money, including proceeds from the sale of his home, on herself from November 2021 to June 2025.
Among the expenses mentioned are payments for a 2022 Kia Stinger, the settlement of two credit card debt, stage area seats at an Usher concert, elective cosmetic surgery, vacations to New Orleans and Las Vegas, designer apparel and accessories, and rent payments totaling over $266,000.
Hopper is charged with using her grandfather’s social security and pension to get an apartment at a posh building in Northeast D.C., just a short distance from Union Market, by making him a co-tenant. According to investigators, he remained in the nursing home during that time.
However, court records state that Hopper informed management in July 2024 that her grandfather could no longer afford Sunrise’s care. Per the court documents, detectives discovered that he had been transferred to two different facilities with unpaid bills totaling more than $52,000.
READ ALSO: 81-year-old grandmom loses over $100K life savings in social security scam
According to the filings, another family member began to have doubts about Hopper.
The documents also noted that Hopper responded to a civil lawsuit in April of last year, denying the embezzlement charges. She claimed that she was able to live the lifestyle she wanted because of her work as a finance program analyst at the US House of Representatives.
A month later, Hopper was fired from that position, according to the criminal case detective’s report.
“Very soon, we’re gonna have over 230,000 individuals living in our community over the age of 65,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
McCarthy stated that he is unable to discuss specifics of the case.
He advised families to think about the risks involved in entrusting a vulnerable senior’s affairs to only one person.
“This is a sad fact: About 90% of money lost in financial scams, you lose to a family member,” McCarthy said.
Hopper was recently charged and released on personal bond.
