Louisiana man steals over $300,000 from disabled relative, indicted
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) - A Louisiana man has been indicted after he allegedly stole over $300,000 from a disabled relative.
Michael D. Hopwood Jr., 39, of Baton Rouge, was indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Middle District of Louisiana.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.
According to the press release, Hopwood was providing assistance with financial matters to a permanently disabled relative.
From November 2019 to February 2020, Hopwood knowingly made unauthorized purchases, transfers, and withdrawals from the victim's account without the victim's knowledge or consent, the press release said.
According to the press release, the total amount lost was over $300,000.
Hopwood has pled not guilty to the pending charges, the press release said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the matter, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harley W. Ferguson and Lyman E. Thornton III.
Disclaimer: All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.