Man Charged With Exploiting 93-Year-Old Mother

He was supposed to use his 93-year-old mother’s Social Security checks to pay for her nursing home care.  

Instead, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office says, William Hamilton of Holiday used the funds for “frivolous expenditures,” according to a complaint affidavit.

According to an incident report, Hamilton was given power of attorney when the health of his mother, Catherine Christensen, began to decline.

When she was admitted to Southern Pines nursing home, 6140 Congress St. in New Port Richey, Christensen, then 91, had suffered from a stroke, heart attack, depression and hallucination disorders, the affidavit stated. 

According to the affidavit, Hamilton did not pay Southern Pines for the time period between April and November of 2010, “shorting the nursing home $7,343.”

During a non-custodial interview in November 2010, Hamilton said he used his mother’s Social Security money to pay for the proerty taxes on her home, the affidavit stated.

A records search revealed that the taxes on Christensen’s home had not been paid “for years,” the report stated.

The case was assigned to the sheriff’s economic crimes unit, and “an investigation into (Hamilton’s) bank account shows cash deposits and frivolous expenditures during the time period in question, expenditures beyond his obvious personal monthly income,” according to the affidavit.

Hamilton used some of the money to patronize local gay bars, take a trip to Wisconsin, purchase food at restaurants and pay for satellite radio, among other things, Pasco County Sheriff spokesman Kevin Doll said in an email. 

Hamilton, 65, of 3306 Briar Cliff Drive, was arrested Thursday, March 15, and charged with exploitation of an elderly person. He is being held at the Land O' Lakes jail on $5,000 bond.