News Release
10/11/2007
Jewell Accused of Exploiting Elderly Nursing Home Resident
The owner of Callaway Nursing Home in Sulphur is accused in Pontotoc County District Court of stealing more than $300,000 from a mentally-ill woman in his care, Attorney General Drew Edmondson said.
“Samuel Todd Jewell, 44, was charged Oct. 9 with four counts of financial exploitation by caretaker,” Edmondson said. “He is accused of manipulating a 69-year-old mentally-ill patient to give him a power of attorney over her finances and taking her money for his own use.”
Jewell allegedly convinced the woman that the money she had invested in the stock market was not safe and should be moved to a checking account. According to the state’s complaint, between March and September 2003 Jewell made four fraudulent transfers totaling $323,000 from the woman’s checking account to his personal accounts.
The woman, now 74, has moved to another facility after residing at Callaway for more than 10 years.
The investigation was conducted by Edmondson’s Patient Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the FBI.
Edmondson’s Patient Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has statewide jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute provider fraud and patient abuse and neglect in any Medicaid provider facility. Anyone with information regarding provider fraud or patient abuse can contact the Attorney General’s Office at (405) 521-4274.