By admin 
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT/Gray News) – A woman in Nebraska is accused of stealing nearly $1 million from her own father after being given power of attorney, authorities said.
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Patricia Deacy, 60, was booked on charges of abuse of a vulnerable adult and theft of more than $5,000.
In 2023, Deacy’s father was living in a memory care facility and was “pressured” into granting her power of attorney.
According to an affidavit, Deacy retired shortly after, and a relative noted that her lifestyle improved dramatically.
She began giving away large sums of money to select family members, buying new houses, cars and pools, taking her children on expensive vacations and buying one of her daughters a new car, pool and house.
About $770,000 in withdrawals were made over four months from her father’s account, a family member said, after other family members were denied access or given only partial access to the trust account.
Investigators met with the father in 2025 and believed he was a vulnerable adult suffering from memory impairment.
Investigators said the father expressed shock that Deacy “might be misusing his money for her own benefit and said she was independently wealthy,” but he could not explain how.
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When informed about the $770,000 in withdrawals, investigators said the father “strongly asserted that he had not authorized any such withdrawal and affirmed that he intended for his money to remain in his possession,” and said he never allowed his money to be spent on houses, cars or pools.
A deeper look into the account revealed the potential misappropriation of $1,416,636.42.
Another family member said Deacy had decided to sell stock and disburse funds among her father’s children as she saw fit, primarily to family members she was fond of, while excluding others.
- $213,286.64 in 217 transfers via Venmo and PayPal apps. Deacy’s father only owned a flip phone and did not need these payment systems.
- $23,200 in four transfers to someone who is believed to be an attorney in Pensacola, Florida, as Deacy was allegedly trying to purchase property there.
- $116,358.44 over 10 debit transfers for boat purchases.
- $94,469.01 over 21 payments for home improvements, landscaping, and hardscaping. Deacy’s father did not own a home at the time.
- $53,580 over 16 debit transfers for banking services to a bank the father did not have an account with.
- $49,999.36 over 31 transfers for auto-related expenses. The father did not own or drive a car because, again, he is in assisted living for memory care.
- $39,000 to accounts controlled by Deacy.
- $32,873.66 over 439 retail purchases including Amazon, Costco and Target.
- $8,473.89 over 324 food and drink debits from September 2023 to April 2026. The majority of the father’s meals are at the care facility.
- $7,679.40 for housing, rental or purchasing not related to the father’s living requirements.
- $5,654.82 in check payments to Deacy.
- $3,060.78 at grocery outlets in Omaha and Florida. No food was found to be stored at the father’s apartment during the investigator’s visit.
- $2,006.11 to entertainment vendors like Apple, Netflix, and Omaha Rec Centers.
- $1,722 to “Educational Comp” and the Clarke Community School District. The father was not a student of either.
- $1,608.35 in ATM withdrawals.
- $1,404.90 at convenience stores and gas stations. The father did not drive or travel by himself.
- $996.65 in hotels.
- $633.50 in other travel-related expenses, including Pensacola Airport parking and online passport fees.
The total amount believed to be misappropriated is about $874,732.98, according to the investigation.
Deposits and payments made by Deacy to the accounts potentially reduced the misappropriated funds by $107,952.18.
Some family members have filed a petition to remove Deacy’s power of attorney. A judge ordered Tuesday that Deacy must turn over all receipts, disbursements and transactions related to her father’s accounts.
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A future court date and bond amount had not been set as of Tuesday afternoon.