MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local woman was sentenced to time behind bars after she was caught stealing thousands from a deceased woman’s estate.
Shirley Hardaway, 60, was the owner of Companion Plus, an in-home health care provider.
According to the Department of Justice, Hardaway cared for the victim for at least four years until her death in September 2009.
The 91-year-old woman left behind more than $80,000 in two separate investments accounts at Franklin Templeton Investments.
Almost two years later, Hardaway sent a change of address request to the company with her own address listed on the document.
She and another suspect then obtained the woman’s social security number and opened a Bank of America account in her name.
Once opened, she sent the investment company documents asking for the $80,000 to be liquidated into the fraudulent account.
Not suspecting anything, the company did, allowing Hardaway access to the money.
She quickly withdrew all of it via a cashier’s check.
Investigators said during that time she also stole more than $40,000 in social security and pension dividend checks.
In October 2015, she plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
She was sentenced to 27 months in a federal prison and was ordered to pay $124, 630 in restitution.