Ex-Pennsylvania police officer accused of tricking wealthy woman into making him beneficiary of her estate
A police officer in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, assigned to investigate a jewelry theft instead tried to trick the victim into writing him into her will, District Attorney Jennifer Schorn announced Wednesday.
Former Yardley and Langhorne officer Carlito Cortez was indicted by a grand jury and arrested Tuesday. He faces criminal counts of official oppression, theft by deception and fraud, Schorn said in a news conference.
Cortez encountered the victim, a 76-year-old woman, in March 2020 after she reported that two rings, each valued at $25,000, were stolen from her home.
Schorn said Cortez was supposed to investigate the case but soon was trying to make himself the designated recipient of the woman's estate by tricking her into signing a last will and testament.
Cortez allegedly visited the woman multiple times over three years and manipulated her in a romance scheme.
"This defendant's actions are the definition of predatory and exploitative. I just praise the work that was done and commend the members of Bucks County grand jury, because they serve in secret... for up to two years handling matters like this, sensitive matters, so we can get justice for victims of crime," Schorn said.
Officials are not ruling out the possibility that there could be other victims, and are investigating if other people could be charged in the case.
