Millions Stolen from East Cobb Woman

For nearly four years, Jeffrey T. Carr and his father allegedly used manipulation and a family rift to steal millions of dollars from a 91-year-old East Cobb woman.

But the alleged deception came to a halt around 10 a.m. Tuesday when investigators with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Fraud Unit arrested the father and the son without incident, spokeswoman Nancy Bodiford said this morning.

Jeffrey Carr, 39, was arrested on charges that include four counts of theft by taking and exploitation of the elderly. Joseph T. Carr, 65, faces charges of theft by receiving stolen property and exploitation of the elderly.

According to Cobb County criminal warrants, Jeffrey Carr gained the trust of the woman in early May 2009 "by exploiting an ongoing sibling rivalry between the victim's daughters, and allowing one daughter to isolate her mother from contact with other people and the other sibling."

Despite ongoing efforts by Adult Protective Services to aid the woman, Jeffrey Carr allegedly allowed the isolation to continue, records show.

During a period between May 4, 2009, and Nov. 18, 2012, he allegedly received $707,521.36 from the woman, who was under the impression that she was investing in real estate opportunities. Approximately $25,200 of the funds came from an account held solely by the woman; $124,000 came from a joint account funded solely by the woman; and $558,321.36 came from a joint account in which the woman and her daughter were contributors.

The father allegedly profited, too. Joseph Carr received $353,720 from the accounts on Aug. 31, 2011, records show.

Weeks later, Jeffrey Carr "influenced the victim to sign a power of attorney that gave him access to her remaining estate," Bodiford said. Joseph Carr signed the document as a witness. The power of attorney was filed with the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk on Sept. 16, 2011, records show.

When the woman was hospitalized on Jan. 6, 2012, Jeffrey Carr allegedly arranged to move her to a Gainesville rehabilitation facility near him, "effectively isolating her from contact with her daughters and friends despite the victim's initial request to go to a facility close to her residence in Cobb County," an investigator with the sheriff's office wrote in his warrant.

With the woman so close to him, he was able to monitor the people who had access to her.

At some point, Jeffrey Carr wanted to keep even closer tabs on the woman, according to the warrant. Father and son allegedly moved the woman in the middle of the night from the assisted living facility into the father's Gainesville residence, a move that allegedly netted the son nearly $2.8 million "in the guise of fees, rent payments, commissions, legal fees and other charges in which the bank records subsequently showed the victim paid for directly," according to Jeffrey Carr's warrant.

Once again, the father profited. Joseph Carr collected $338,200 between Jan. 9, 2012, and Jan. 2, 2013, records show.

Between April 2012 and January 2013, Jeffrey Carr allegedly accepted 96 checks totaling $1,630,932.20 from the woman’s accounts, records show.

"Some of this money was recovered by Sheriff’s Office Investigators working in conjunction with the Cobb District Attorney’s Office and Adult Protective Services through seizures of bank accounts in the name of Jeffrey Carr and the victim," Bodiford said.

At the time of the arrest, authorities executed search warrants on the residences of Jeffrey Carr and Joseph Carr. Four Cadillacs and two Rolex watches were seized, and investigators believe they were purchased with the woman's money, Bodiford said.

Jeffrey Carr is being held in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center in lieu of $500,000 bond. Joseph Carr was released late Tuesday on a $100,000 bond.

Anyone with information about elderly abuse or exploitation is encouraged to call the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office at 770-499-4752.