A couple has been charged with 11 felony counts for allegedly scamming San Diego senior citizens out of nearly $2 million.
Michael Woodward, 50 and 47-year-old Melissa Woodward have been accused of burglary, grand theft, theft from an elder and tax evasion. The District Attorney’s office said the couple sold fake in-home service agreements to more than 230 local senior citizens.
The Woodwards supposedly targeted senior citizens and told them an annual fee would get them non-medical services such as cooking, cleaning, laundry and shopping. An investigation revealed that Woodward and his wife were allegedly failing to provide services they promised.
But the couple was unable to provide the services to the victims and did not reimburse senior citizens for money already paid, according to the District Attorney’s office.
In addition, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones accused the couple of running a $6 million scam across 10 states.
“The defendants in this case were ruthless and heartless in the way they targeted the elderly and sold them fake insurance policies,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a press conference today.
The Woodwards were arrested in Las Vegas two weeks ago and were arraigned in San Diego Friday afternoon. They face up to 16 years in local prison if convicted of the charges.
