DALLAS BOROUGH – Authorities said a caregiver who had Power-of-Attorney for an elderly woman in Luzerne County’s back mountain stole more than $258,000 over the course of three years.
Dallas Borough Police and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office charged Sharon Jacobosky, 70, of Luzerne with theft Friday afternoon.
Jacobosky posted bail and was released from the Luzerne County Jail several hours later.
Investigators said a forensic audit showed that Jacobosky stole $258,538.30 from the woman she was caring for between January 2009 and November 2011.
According to online records from the Pennsylvania Lottery, Jacobosky previously won $1 million by playing the “Million Dollar Cash Fever” scratch-off game.
Evelyn Hannon is the victim`s niece and the one who turned Jacobosky into police in 2011.
Hannon says her aunt, Clementine Moseman knew Jacobosky because Jacobosky took care of Moseman`s daughter, Pam who was disabled.
“She took care of Pam for something like 19 years,” said Hannaon. “Clem trusted her, she thought that she was doing a good job when Clem could no longer, or asked her to handle her check book, Clem would just sign the checks.”
The criminal complaint says Moseman, who lives at this house in Dallas, gave Jacobosky, who lives at this house in Luzerne, power of attorney to buy things for Moseman and her daughter using Moseman`s money.
In total, authorities said Jacobosky stole $258,538.30, starting from 2009 until she was fired in 2011.
Hannon believes Jacobosky took far more than that.
“She had close to a million dollars in the bank when she retired, her goal was to make sure pam was taken care of if anything happened to her and when i got to the bank there was only $181,000 left. She had taken it all,” said Hannon. “And they can`t prove it because Clem signed blank checks for her thinking she was paying the bills.”
Hannon said Jacobosky has a gambling addiction and the district attorney confirms Jacobosky once won a million dollars in the lottery.
“It`s a nightmare, it`s a story that`s unbelievable,” said Hannon.
Jacobosky has a preliminary hearing set for August 22nd.