Police: Riverside Dad, Daughter Duped Mentally Impaired Man Out Of $24,000

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A Riverside transient and his adult daughter were facing theft charges after they allegedly conned a mentally impaired man into making cash advances on his credit card after they told him he had won the lottery, police said Tuesday.

Over a two-week period beginning March 16, a 44-year-old man — who is described as mentally impaired and an adult dependent — was conned into making several large cash withdrawals from his bank which totaled nearly $1,000, according to the Riverside Police Department.

The victim said he was then convinced to make the cash advances totaling nearly $24,000 at a pair of local casinos after being told he had won a lottery, police said.

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, patrol officers detained several individual who were associated with a 2001 Gold Lincoln Navigator with a Texas license plate that was located in the Walmart parking lot on Day Street in Riverside.

Detectives responded by conducting a follow-up investigation and later arrested Sammy George, 50, and his daughter, Cindy Elsner, 31, both transients.

Both were charged with theft by fraud, theft from a dependent adult, and conspiracy. George also faces burglary charges, while Elsner faces violation of parole charges.

She is currently on parole for burglary in Los Angeles County.

Both suspects were booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside.

Detectives believe there may be additional people in the area who may have been victimized by these suspects. Anyone with information on these suspects is asked to contact Detective Dave Smith at (951) 353-7103 or Detective Greg Rowe at (951) 353-7136.