PHILADELPHIA, PA — A former business office coordinator at two senior living facilities has been indicted on charges of wire fraud, according to U.S. Attorney David Metcalf. The defendant, 58-year-old Mia Hardy of Chester, Pennsylvania, is accused of carrying out a scheme to defraud elderly residents, their estates, and the facilities themselves over a multi-year period.
The indictment alleges that Hardy exploited a financial system known as the Resident Fund Management Service (RFMS), which manages resident trust accounts for senior living facilities. Through RFMS, residents maintain personal sub-accounts for expenses, with funds accessible through cash withdrawals or checks issued as directed. Prosecutors assert that Hardy misused her access to this system from March 2020 to August 2023 while employed at Senior Living Facility #1, and again in 2024 while working at Senior Living Facility #2.
According to court documents, Hardy allegedly generated fraudulent checks totaling approximately $122,941 during her time at Senior Living Facility #1. She is accused of illegally accessing resident accounts and issuing checks made payable to her family members and associates, none of whom were linked to the residents’ transactions. Prosecutors also state that Hardy forged signatures on some checks and manipulated authorized signers in other instances. Further, Hardy is accused of improperly withdrawing petty cash from RFMS accounts for personal use.
The charges also outline additional alleged misconduct at Senior Living Facility #2, where Hardy reportedly repeated the scheme from April 2024 to July 2024. She allegedly forged and misused residents’ funds, including one instance of obtaining a resident’s personal check and issuing it to an associate.
The scope of financial losses has prompted the indictment to seek forfeiture of up to $366,000 from the defendant. The FBI spearheaded the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen is prosecuting the case.
If found guilty of all eight counts of wire fraud, Hardy could face severe penalties, including a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000 per charge.
The residents impacted by Hardy’s alleged actions are among the most vulnerable community members, many of whom depend on these facilities for extensive medical and daily support.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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