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A Navarrre woman has been arrested after an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office investigation revealed she defrauded a woman in her 90s out of more than half a million dollars over an 18 month period.
45-year old Sheena Russell of Burton Circle is charged with theft over $100,000, organized scheme to defraud more than $50,000 and elderly exploitation.
OCSO Investigator Mike Kruger says the thefts from the victim’s trust and bank accounts took place between March 30th, 2020 and September 22, 2021 and exceeded $582,647.
The victim is now 99 years old.
Russell, who knew the victim and her late husband for a number of years, had served them as a waitress at a Fort Walton Beach restaurant and started doing errands for the victim after her husband passed away.
The OCSO investigation began following a complaint by the victim’s brother, who lives out of state.
Russell claims she and the victim had a joint business venture, while the victim says she did not give Russell consent to withdraw or transfer any money from her accounts.
Investigator Kruger’s investigation shows among other things, Russell used funds from the victim to help pay off her mortgage, buy a vehicle, and fund trips to Walt Disney World, Pigeon Forge Tennessee, the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, and Washington, D.C., as well as a ski trip to Utah.
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