Woman jailed in bilking scheme

Woman jailed in bilking scheme


Alleged caregiver stole $230K from elderly woman.

By Denise G. Callahan, Staff Writer

Updated 8:48 PM Monday, January 9, 2012

HAMILTON — Michelle Hughes is thrilled that the woman who bilked her cousin out of more than $200,000 will spend the next two years in prison.

The Madison Twp. woman has been trying for three years to get someone to hold Corrine Easterling of Trenton accountable for stealing about $230,000 from Mary Rose Kemplin.

Easterling, 49, plead guilty in Butler County Common Pleas Court in November, and Judge Patricia Oney sentenced her Monday to two years in prison. Oney also ordered Easterling to pay $217,000 in restitution and $110,000 in cash. The rest is from real estate she will turn over to Kemplin’s estate.

“I honestly didn’t think she was going to get anything, so I’m thrilled,” Hughes said. “I’m very happy.”

Easterling could have received five years in prison. She did not speak during the sentencing, but her attorney told Oney repeatedly that Easterling was contrite.

Kemplin, who died last April, was in a nursing home when she met Easterling. Garnering the elderly woman’s trust, Easterling told her she would move in with her and serve as her caretaker.

Hughes said Kemplin turned over her power of attorney to Easterling, and everything appeared fine until Kemplin’s bank called notifying her that her account was overdrawn. Kemplin didn’t use credit cards or drive, but bank records showed that countless credit card payments and purchases were made. Easterling even bought a car with Kemplin’s money.

Easterling gave the car to her daughter Joyce Ripley, and now the daughter is awaiting sentencing in Butler County for receiving stolen property. She pleaded guilty in December.

Hughes praised Prosecutor Mike Gmoser for taking up her cause. She said she had tried to get someone to listen for three years, and she even wrote the governor. She now plans to set up a website, www.justiceformaryrose.com, to help warn the elderly about scams like this. Gmoser created a task force last fall to do the same thing. “These types of crimes aren’t going to be tolerated,” he said.
 
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