Catawba County woman allegedly stole more than $300K from elderly couple through scheme

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — A Catawba County woman is facing fraud and identity theft charges after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly couple, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Charges in the indictment say that 45-year-old Andrea Brawley from Conover allegedly stole more than $300,000 from two elderly relatives between August 2016 and January 2023 after becoming part of a scheme to exploit her relationship with the couple to steal their money and property.

The indictment also says the victims gave Brawley access to their personal and company bank accounts to manage them, pay the couple’s monthly bills, and handle personal and business affairs. Instead, Brawley allegedly used her access to transfer money to herself, costing the victims a significant amount of money, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office

An example: Brawley allegedly didn’t make payments on the victims’ home; it was later foreclosed on, and the couple lost their house. She also allegedly drained the victims’ retirement funds by forging distribution forms without their knowledge or consent, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Allegations in the indictment say Brawley allegedly hid the scheme from the victims through fake reasons behind the home foreclosure and false statements about the status of the couple’s accounts.

Brawley also allegedly isolated the victims from other family members by taking their cell phones and impersonating them on calls, moving them to different spots around the state, and keeping them away from their home.

Another allegation shows that Brawley allegedly took part in identity theft by using one or more means of identification that belonged to the victims, including names, addresses, and account numbers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A Charlotte federal grand jury indicted Brawley this week, charging her with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

If found guilty, the mail fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and the identity theft charge carries a two-year maximum sentence.

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