HOUTZDALE – A Ramey man has been charged with 19 felony offenses for allegedly taking almost $300,000 from a relative while he had power of attorney over her affairs.
State police filed six felony counts each of theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property along with financial exploitation of an older adult against Steven Eric Flango, 61, last week in District Judge James Glass’s office.
The case is currently listed online as inactive with no preliminary hearing or arraignment yet scheduled.
The charges stem from his actions beginning in 2017.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the investigation began in May after police received a report from the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging.
The information showed that Flango had the victim sign for a personal loan of $125,150.50 for him with her home used as collateral. He reportedly told her she needed to sign papers because he was opening an account at a bank in both their names. Instead the money was deposited into an account in his name only at a bank where the victim didn’t even do business, police reported.
The victim had to hire a lawyer to obtain information on the account since Flango put a block on all his financial records. In Aug. 2024, the balance on this loan was reportedly $34,941.80.
In January 2020, funds from an investment CD was issued as a check made out to the victim for $86,714.52. He allegedly took the victim to a bank in Altoona to deposit the money into his account that he again claimed was in both their names. He then made “some significant withdrawals”, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim owed federal taxes on the money taken.
In addition it was discovered that in 2017, he reportedly talked the victim into signing for loans taken out on life insurance policies she purchased in 1986. He also changed the beneficiary to himself, police said.
In all, these transactions totaled $293,853.02, according to the report.
