DA: Accountant stole $116K from 100-year-old woman

An accountant from Bucks County is accused of stealing more than $116,000 from a 100-year-old client, in part to maintain a gambling habit, officials said Wednesday.

The Delaware County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday that Jeanne Swain, 58, of Yardley, is facing charges that include theft and receiving stolen property.

Swain prepared taxes for the victim, a 100-year-old woman who lives at Granite Farms Assisted Living in Middletown Township, for 22 years, prosecutors said.

Authorities allege that the accountant wrote checks from the woman's bank accounts to pay for her own rent, business rent and taxes, as well as her ex-husband's rent and health insurance.

Swain also wrote checks to Parx Casino in Bensalem, prosecutors said. The district attorney's office said a review of Swain's financial records showed she lost about $292,000 through gambling over a five-year period.

The investigation began after the suspicious checks written to Swain and others were discovered.

In total, Swain wrote $116,667.33 in unauthorized checks from the victim's account, prosecutors said.

Swain has been released to home monitoring on $250,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19.