NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Elisa R. Niles, a 42-year-old woman from North Charleston, was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center for allegedly stealing funds from seniors residing at the Ashley Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care facility.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s office, through the Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud (VAMPF) Unit, claims Niles unlawfully accessed and used the bank account information of vulnerable adults between December 1, 2023, and May 24, 2024. Niles is accused of transferring and spending funds without authorization for personal gain.
Niles faces several charges, including two felony counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, two felony counts of financial identity fraud, and two misdemeanor counts of obtaining property under false pretenses (with a value under $2,000). If convicted, she could face substantial fines and a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. VAMPF is primarily funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, contributing 75% of the budget, while the remaining 25% is provided by the state.
