Former Home Health Aide accused of Credit Card Fraud in Spring Lake

A former home health aide in Monmouth County has been charged with illegally charging more than a combined $11,000.00 of unauthorized purchases on the credit cards of an elderly victim under her care, announced Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.

Prosecutors have charged 50-year old Kathleen Campion of Belmar 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.

She faces up to 5 years in state prison on each of the third degree charges and up to $15,000.00 in fines.

Campion was charged on March 2 following an investigation that began last May when Spring Lake Police received a call alerting them that there were unauthorized charges on various credit cards belonging to a 90-year old female victim.

Police then discovered that the amount of fraudulent charges made on the victim’s credit cards totaled $11,877.53.

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.

Spring Lake Police made the arrest of Campion.

The case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Diane Aifer.

“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.”

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