NEWS / Nebraska woman arrested over power of attorney misuse to steal over $770,000

An Omaha, Nebraska, woman has been arrested on charges of abuse of a vulnerable adult and theft greater than $5,000 after she used a power of attorney to steal money from her father.

Patricia Deacy, 60, was booked into Douglas County Corrections on Tuesday, July 28.

The story began in 2023, when Deacy’s father, who had been living in a memory care facility, was allegedly pressured into signing a power of attorney before a notary public to enable his daughter to have control over his finances.

“She retired shortly thereafter and (a relative) noted that her lifestyle improved dramatically,” WOWT First Alert 6 quotes the police report as stating. “Patricia began giving away large sums of money to select family members, buying new houses, cars, and pools, taking her children on expensive vacations and buying one of her daughters a new car, pool, and house.”

According to a family member, Patricia Deacy withdrew about $770,000 within a 4-month time-frame.

Believing Deacy’s father may be a vulnerable adult suffering from memory impairment, investigators met with him in 2025. When asked about the substantial withdrawals, the father “strongly asserted that he had not authorized any such withdrawal and affirmed that he intended for his money to remain in his possession.” He expressed shock that Deacy was misusing his money, noting that she was independently wealthy.

An investigation revealed a total misappropriation of almost $875,000, with another family member reporting that Deacy sold her father’s stock and disbursed the funds among her siblings as she saw fit, specifically excluding certain members she was not fond of.

It is also noteworthy that Deacy made deposits and payments to her father’s account totaling about $108,000 and potentially reducing the total amount of misappropriated funds.

“While crimes like this may not seem like a big deal to some, they can wreak havoc and upend lives, especially those of vulnerable people. I am proud that the DCSO [Douglas County Sheriff’s Office] has become the regional expert in financial crimes investigations,” Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson stated.

If you require assistance preparing a power of attorney or getting it apostilled or authenticated for use abroad, do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at info@apostille.us or by phone at (212) 233-7061. You can also place an order on our website.