HELENA – A Big Horn County woman was ordered and agreed to pay $82,770 in restitution for financially exploiting her grandfather following a successful investigation and prosecution by the Montana Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Unit, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today.

Wenona Victoria Meachum was convicted in August of exploitation of an older person or incapacitated person, a felony, as the victim was over the age of 65 when the crimes were committed.

In 2018, Meachum signed a Power of Attorney (POA) that allowed her to oversee and become co-owner of her grandfather’s finances. However, the POA prohibited her from personal financial gain.

Between December 2018 and November 2020, Meachum violated the terms of the POA by sending a total of 86 online transfers from her grandfather’s account to various checking, savings, and mortgage accounts in her name that he could not access. Each transaction exceeded Meachum’s authority under the POA and was not authorized by her grandfather.

The case was investigated by the Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation’s Elder Justice Unit, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Adult Protective Services. The case was prosecuted by Elder Justice Unit prosecutor Angie Rolando.

The Elder Justice Unit is currently investigating 19 active cases. To report financial exploitation and abuse of seniors, Montanans can contact the Montana Department of Justice at 406-444-3874.

Montanans can also report any phone, email, or mail scams to the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection at [email protected], or 406-444-4500 (toll-free: 800-481-6896), or online at https://dojmt.gov/office-of-consumer-protection/.

Montanans can report suspected cases of Medicaid fraud or elder abuse by calling the Medicaid Fraud hotline at 800-376-1115.