The Cheltenham Township Police has charged six individuals with defrauding an elderly woman residing at an apartment in Elkins Park.

According to a criminal complaint filed by officer Timothy Filoon, co-defendants Anthony Bolden of Reading, Winston Haynes of Jeffersonville, Leon Buie IV of Philadelphia, Detoine Davis of Philadelphia, Michael Turner of Philadelphia, and Destiny Fran of Norristown have been charged with Forgery, Theft by Deception, Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition, Receiving Stolen Property, Identity Theft, Corrupt Organizations, Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activity, Access Device Fraud, and Possessing an Instrument of Crime in connection with the theft.

The affidavit of probable cause states that Cheltenham police received a report of fraud from Barbara Gaines, 82, on October 23, 2024. Gaines told police that on October 15, 2024, she was contacted via phone by someone claiming to be a Citizens Bank representative who told that her Verizon payment was not received.

During the phone call, Gaines verified her identity and provided sensitive information. She was told that someone from Verizon would come to her residence to verify her Citizens Bank debit card information, the complaint said. Later that evening, a woman claiming to be a Verizon employee arrived at Gaines’ residence. She asked to see Gaines’ debit card, which she scanned with a handheld device.

“Unbeknownst to Gaines, the woman took her Citizens Bank debit card and gave her back someone else’s card. The following morning, Gaines discovered that her Citizens Bank debit card had been stolen and replaced with another card that belonged to someone else,” the complaint states.

Gaines filed a fraud report with Citizens Bank which then took possession of the other debit card. During a review of her accounts, she discovered that someone transferred money from her savings account to her checking account. Her Citizens Bank debit card was used to make five $600.00 ATM withdrawals totaling $3,000.00.

All five transactions occurred at a Citizens Bank ATM located at 6324 Stenton Avenue in Philadelphia, the complaint states.

On October 15, 2024, an unknown suspect initiated a $4,100.00 telephone transfer of funds from Gaines’ savings account to her checking account.

Prior to contacting Cheltenham police, Gaines reviewed her Discover, Chase, Bank of America, Citibank and American Express credit card accounts and discovered multiple fraudulent transactions. She also began receiving packages at her house for merchandise that she did not order, and reported that her computer and her phone had been hacked.

Gaines also reported that her phone no longer worked, later learning that her incoming calls were forwarded to two different phone numbers, the complaint states.

Gaines subsequently learned that her cards were used to rent a car at Hertz without her knowledge or permission, among other unauthorized transactions totaling $23,565.06. Hertz’s charges included an $8658.94 transaction and a $17,956.59 transaction.

Officer Filoon obtained “a relatively clear picture” of Winston Haynes while driving a Hertz rental and confirmed via the PA Department of Labor and Industry that “Haynes has worked in home healthcare for several companies and had access to multiple elderly individuals in their homes”, the complaint states. “Haynes added himself as an authorized user to multiple credit card accounts belonging to Gaines, which allowed him to make in-person purchases, including renting a vehicle that he drove for several months.”

The investigation identified Haynes’ co-defendants by tracking Gaines’ credit card activity.

Gaines’ Citi credit card showed nine separate fraudulent transactions committed at Home Depot stores, totaling $15,475.18. The total reported fraud using her Citi Mastercard was $24,983.68.

The grand total of all fraudulent transactions was $76,712.09, the complaint states.

“The victim s bank accounts, credit card accounts, phone number, address, email address and identity were used repeatedly by multiple defendants that worked together to defraud the victim,” the complaint states.

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