BILLINGS, MT – Elizabeth Marie Stephenson, 36, of Billings, admitted today to systematically draining the bank account of a vulnerable 96-year-old resident at Eagle Cliff Manor nursing home. The former employee pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, capping a grim investigation that began with a missing persons report filed with the Billings Police Department.
The victim, identified in court documents as John Doe, had more than $11,000 vanish from his checking account between July and August 2020. Doe, unaware of the ongoing theft, only discovered the missing funds when alerted by his nephew, who also served as his power of attorney. Investigators quickly zeroed in on frequent $700 ATM withdrawals at Wells Fargo locations, alongside a suspicious $3,500 payment to a California criminal defense law firm and charges to a Telmate Inmate Service account.
The trail led directly to Stephenson, who was promptly terminated by Eagle Cliff Manor after her name surfaced on a credit card application linked to Doe’s account. But the scheme went deeper than simple withdrawals. Stephenson’s boyfriend, an inmate in an Idaho detention facility, was receiving funds funneled through the Telmate account, a clear indication of a coordinated effort. The initial unauthorized transaction surfaced at a local Walmart on July 24, 2020, triggering a month-long spree that ultimately siphoned over $17,000 from the elderly man’s savings.
Initially, Stephenson denied any wrongdoing, claiming Doe had willingly provided his debit card and PIN for a simple beer run. She admitted to purchasing a six-pack at Walmart, but insisted any further withdrawals were authorized. However, confronted with mounting evidence, she conceded to taking money for her own expenses. She also admitted to transferring funds to the inmate account, while weakly claiming Doe had given consent, but conceded he lacked the capacity to authorize such transactions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case, with crucial investigative work conducted by the Billings Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Stephenson now faces a potential maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and five years of supervised release for the bank fraud charge. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory minimum of two years consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 27 before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, who will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before handing down a final judgment. Stephenson was released pending further proceedings, a temporary reprieve for a woman who preyed on a vulnerable senior citizen for personal gain.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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