EPHRATA, PA — A Lititz man faces felony charges after police say he stole more than $85,000 from his elderly parents’ bank account while serving as their power of attorney.
Howard Stanley Smith, 67, was charged Wednesday by the Ephrata Police Department Investigations Section with one count of financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, a first-degree felony, and access device fraud, a third-degree felony.
A family member reported to police in December 2024 that they believed Smith was stealing money from his elderly parents.
The family member told investigators the victims’ bank account decreased by $85,277.20 between April and December 2024, which was highly unusual.
Police learned Smith became power of attorney over his parents’ finances in October or November 2024.
A review of bank statements from April through December 2024 showed multiple unusual payments to PayPal, Capital One Credit Card, First Premier Bank, numerous restaurants, a car dealership, liquor stores and various hotels, according to police.
Investigators obtained search warrants for several businesses, including PayPal, Capital One and First Premier Bank.
The search warrant results indicated Smith owned those accounts and was making payments to himself and paying his bills from his parents’ bank account, police said.
The investigation also showed Smith used his parents’ bank account to pay for hotel stays and a vehicle.
The Ephrata Police Department holds an arrest warrant for Smith.
