Rochester couple charged with defrauding vulnerable man

Rochester, Minnesota (News KROC-AM) – A Rochester couple are accused of stealing funds from a vulnerable old man after they took over his finances.

Colleen Siverling Keigher, 34, and Corey Keigher, 33, are each charged with two counts of aiding and abetting financial abuse of a vulnerable adult. The criminal complaint alleges that the husband and wife themselves wrote checks totaling just over $125,000 to the victim’s bank accounts last year.

The charges say an Olmsted County investigator began looking into the situation in January this year after receiving a vulnerable adult abuse report about an 81-year-old man who lived in a secure memory care facility. in Rochester for over 2 years. The report involved suspicions that the couple were making cash withdrawals from ATMs and cash checks that were not made in the best interest of the victim.

Court documents say Colleen Siverling-Keigher has power of attorney for the elderly man. In interviews with investigators and Olmsted County social workers, the couple said the funds were used to clean and repair the victim’s home, but they were unable to provide any invoices. or other documents. Sivering-Keigher also explained that an attorney told her to pay herself $25 an hour for the time she spent in her power of attorney duties.

The couple also said part of the funds were used to cover back taxes owed by the victim and to settle other unpaid bills. The criminal complaint also says the couple admitted to using the victim’s funds to buy new tires for an RV and nearly $4,000 worth of jewelry, but also claimed they were reimbursing the victim without any documentation for verify payments.

The couple are due to appear in court for the first time on January 31.