Woman pleads guilty to stealing nearly $90,000
A Saugerties, N.Y., woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing close to $90,000 from her elderly East Finley Township grandmother and aunt.
Diandria Chebar Ridgley, 28, and her then-boyfriend, Herbert Lee Bell, 31, whose last known address was Hopewell Junction, N.Y., were accused of showing Ridgley’s grandmother fraudulent paperwork indicating they would be receiving a substantial insurance settlement in February 2012. The settlement was to be collateral for repayment of a loan they needed.
The two reportedly showed the grandmother documentation that indicated they were to receive a $600,000 insurance settlement, but said it would be a few weeks before they would get any money and they needed some money in the interim.
Between that time and June 12, 2013, the two reportedly showed the grandmother different documents indicating various reasons for the delay in payment. At one point, they even gave the grandmother a check for $600,000.
The woman reported the theft to police, and told them she gave the two a total of $78,493 on 25 different occasions over the 16-month period.
During Ridgley’s plea and sentencing before Washington County Judge John F. DiSalle, it was revealed additional funds were stolen from her aunt totaling $6,000.
Ridgley pleaded guilty to theft by deception and two counts of theft.
She was sentenced to 6 to 23 months in jail followed by 10 years of probation. DiSalle ordered Ridgley not to have contact with her grandmother or aunt, to obtain her General Educational Development diploma and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation.
Ridgley was returned to Washington County jail after the hearing.
Bell is scheduled to appear before DiSalle Jan. 26.