WILMINGTON — A Blanchester man has been indicted for allegedly swindling an elderly couple out of more than $50,000.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced in a news release on Tuesday that Michael Foster, 44, was indicted on three felony charges “stemming from a scheme that defrauded an elderly couple.”
The Clinton County Common Pleas Court lists Foster as being charged with two counts of alleged theft from a person in a protected class and one count of telecommunications fraud, both third-degree felonies.
According to the release, Foster – through his business, “Five 13 Properties” – accepted a down payment to build a house for an elderly couple but did not perform any work, deliver any materials or refund any money.
“From June 2021 through January 2022, he used text messages to maintain the charade and continue to steal money from the couple,” the release states.
The attorney general’s Economic Crimes Unit, a part of the Consumer Protection Section, investigated the matter and will prosecute the case.
Reach John Hamilton at 937-382-2574
