A 56-year-old Pennsylvania woman faces multiple felony charges for allegedly stealing her elderly mother's retirement savings to support her gambling addiction. Kelly Jo Wright, who became her mother's power of attorney in early 2022, is accused of misappropriating approximately $150,000 in total.

Against financial advisor recommendations, Wright liquidated her mother's $123,000 IRA and an additional $27,000 from other banking accounts between March 2022 and September 2023. During this time, her mother, who suffers from early onset dementia, survived on just $1,600 monthly Social Security payments.

Court documents reveal Wright lost significant amounts at Pennsylvania Skill games locations and the Seneca Casino in Salamanca, NY. Casino records show verified losses of $17,000 in 2022 and over $7,000 in 2023, though actual losses may be higher if transactions weren't linked to her rewards account.

Wright faces four felony charges including financial exploitation of an older adult, theft by deception-false impression, theft by deception-prevent acquisition of information, and theft by deception-failure to correct. She remains in Jefferson County's Brookville Correctional Facility on $100,000 bail, awaiting a January 6 preliminary hearing.

Additionally, Wright faces separate charges for animal cruelty (22 counts) and attempted narcotics procurement through Facebook Messenger. All three cases are currently pending in court.

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