DULUTH — A staff member financially exploited a resident of an assisted living facility by making over $8,400 in unauthorized charges to an online cosmetic company for personal use, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Concluded Oct. 30, the investigative report of Heritage Haven, 3044 Morris Thomas Road, in the Piedmont Heights neighborhood, found the resident was capable of managing finances independently and reported the unauthorized fraudulent charges of their bank account to the facility.
ADVERTISEMENT Heritage Haven conducted an internal investigation and notified law enforcement of the suspected maltreatment. At the time of the complaint, 29 residents were receiving services at the facility. A law enforcement report showed the resident's card was used to make fraudulent purchases.
All orders were shipped to the employee’s home address, in the employee’s name, and using their cellphone number and email address. The investigation found the employee was selling items on their personal Facebook Marketplace page from the same company identified on the resident’s bank statement. The employee denied making the purchases and told investigators the trial pack of cosmetics was a gift from a family member.
The employee is no longer employed by Heritage Haven and has been notified of their right to appeal the MDH maltreatment finding..
