Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 19 March 2018

Deputies accused of complex plan to bilk woman with dementia

veteran, and an uniden- locks of her safe deposit
tified male deputy were box. They then applied for
placed on administrative a passport for Achiu on a
leave pending the out- website called RushMy-
come of "the criminal and Passport.com, Abrate said.
administrative investiga- Achiu, who has no children
tions," the department said. or other relatives living in
Angel's attorney, Richard California, "suffers from de-
Chan, said she was acting mentia and lacks the ca-
in Achiu's best interest and pacity to resist fraud or pro-
did everything at Achiu's vide informed consent," he
request. said.
"There wasn't any financial, Neighbor Nyairee Fitzpat-
elder abuse that occurred," rick described her friend
Chan said. "She was assist- as independent but some-
ing this lady and following thing of a forgetful hoarder.
this lady's wishes, there's She and others said Achiu
been absolutely no finan- had talked of sending
cial benefit to Deputy An- some belongings to rela-
gel whatsoever." tives in the Philippines but
Achiu met the deputies in wanted to live with a broth-
mid-January during a call er in Washington state.
for service, according to “The cop came ... and like
court documents first ob- emptied out her whole
Neighbor Nyairee Fitzpatrick pauses while discussing her friend Rosalie Santallan Achiu, outside tained by Sacramento house,” she recalled,
the elderly woman's vacant home, Friday, March 16, 2018, in North Highlands, Calif. Two Sac-
ramento County sheriff's deputies are being investigated on allegations of stealing money from news station KTXL-TV . standing outside Achiu’s
Achiu, 75, and putting her on a plane to the Philippines. Shortly afterward, she was vacant home with discard-
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) moved into Angel's home, ed furniture stacked in the
Michael Abrate, an attor- driveway.
By DON THOMPSON military wife who loved to vestigating the deputies in ney for Achiu's family, said The deputies were grant-
NORTH HIGHLANDS, Calif. play cards and was fluent late January after some- in a petition asking a judge ed power of attorney and
(AP) — Two California offi- in several languages but one raised concerns about to authorize a nephew to named agents on her living
cers are being investigated seemed lost and afraid the welfare of Achiu, who care for Achiu. will on Jan. 30. Days later,
on allegations of stealing since her husband died had not been seen in days. Over the following weeks, one of them bought a one-
money from a 75-year-old more than a year ago. Federal and sheriff's inves- Achiu's house was listed for way plane ticket to the
woman with dementia, list- Then she disappeared. tigators found her in the sale, several withdrawals Philippines for Achiu, who
ing her home for sale and "The last time I seen her Philippines, where she was were made from her bank arrived Feb. 3, Abrate said.
putting her on a plane to she was in the back of a staying with relatives, the accounts and one deputy Before putting her on the
the Philippines, where she cop car," neighbor Daniel department said. They also opened a joint bank ac- plane, Angel gave Achiu
had family. Wootton said. found "many unusual activ- count with Achiu, the attor- copies of her medical re-
Neighbors and friends on The Sacramento County ities by both deputies, both ney said. The deputies also cords and contact infor-
Friday described Rosalie Sheriff's Department said on and off duty." Stephanie accompanied Achiu to her mation in case anything
Santallan Achiu as a frail this week that it began in- Angel, a 14-year agency bank and had it drill out the went wrong.q

FBI at site where Civil War gold rumored to be buried

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM shipment was lost or hid- why it was at the site Tues- on who's doing the telling, Department of Conserva-
Associated Press den during the 1863 Battle day, revealing only that it the shipment had either 26 tion and Natural Resources
A 155-year-old legend of Gettysburg. was conducting court-au- gold bars or 52 bars, each has refused to allow the
about buried federal gold The treasure-hunting group thorized law enforcement weighing 50 pounds (23 ki- group to dig.
appears to have caught Finders Keepers has long activity. Finders Keepers lograms), meaning it would A department spokesman
the attention of the FBI. insisted it found the gold owner Dennis Parada said be worth about $27 million said Friday that the group
Dozens of FBI agents, along buried in a state forest at Friday he's under FBI orders or about $55 million today. previously asked to exca-
with Pennsylvania state of- Dents Run, about 135 miles not to talk. In an older post on the Find- vate the site but elected
ficials and members of a (217 kilometers) northeast Historians have cast doubt ers Keepers website, Para- not to pay a required
treasure-hunting group, of Pittsburgh, but said the on the claim that a ship- da said his group found $15,000 bond. The spokes-
trekked this week to a re- state wouldn't allow it to ment of gold was lost on the likely burial site using a man referred comment on
mote site where local lore dig. its way to the U.S. Mint in high-powered metal de- Tuesday's activity to the FBI.
has it that a Civil War gold The FBI has refused to say Philadelphia. Depending tector. But he said the state q