A Damariscotta man allegedly defrauded an 84-year-old Bristol woman of more than $200,000 while representing himself as a fundraiser for a charitable organization.
Rodney Chapman, 52, faces a Class B charge of theft by deception and a Class C charge of violation of condition of release.
Chapman befriended the woman in mid-2005 and carried out his scheme for about six years.
“She thought she was giving it to a charity,” Lt. Michael Murphy of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said. The charity didn’t exist, however, and “the money was going in his pocket.”
After the woman told friends about Chapman, the friends, suspecting something awry, contacted LCSO.
Chapman is currently free on $50,000 unsecured bail. His bail conditions include no contact with the victim.
Chapman’s defense attorney, William Avantaggio, declined comment.
Murphy encouraged elderly citizens to contact their local law enforcement agency or the attorney general’s office before donating funds to any charity. Authentic non-profit organizations have to register with the state, he said.
