FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway says a Washington County woman has been indicted for allegedly operating an online scam to raise money for a fictitious dying child.
Conway’s office says a Washington County grand jury recently indicted 63-year-old Frankie Louise Yates of Springfield on one count of theft by deception over $10,000. Yates was arrested by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The indictment stems from a complaint alleging that Yates was soliciting money and gifts online for a terminally ill boy. Conway’s office says an investigation by state and local officials determined the child did not exist.
Conway’s office says investigators identified about 70 victims from across the U.S. and Canada who donated more than $16,000 in toys, books and gift cards to Yates over a three- to five-year period.