BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- A Bessemer man is charged in an elder fraud scheme, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The indictment charges Terrance Pruitt, 47, with wire fraud. The indictment states Pruitt executed a Power of Attorney over an elderly family member, without the victim's knowledge or permission.
According to documents, Pruitt is accused of devising a scheme in late 2023 to defraud the victim by becoming a joint account holder on the victim's bank accounts. To do this, Pruitt removed two payable-on-death beneficiaries from one of the accounts and added two POD beneficiaries to an account.
Pruitt also transferred over $500,000 in funds from the victim's accounts to his personal bank accounts. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.