A 56-year-old Pennsylvania woman, Kelly Jo Wright, is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly stealing her elderly mother's retirement savings to support her gambling addiction.

Wright, who became her mother's power of attorney in early 2022, is accused of liquidating her mother's $123,000 IRA and an additional $27,000 from other bank accounts between March 2022 and September 2023. This occurred while her mother, who suffers from early onset dementia, survived on just $1,600 monthly from Social Security.

Court records show Wright lost significant amounts at various gambling establishments:

• Pennsylvania Skill games in Punxsutawney and Reynoldsville
• Seneca Casino in Salamanca, NY: $17,000 in 2022 and over $7,000 in 2023

Wright faces four felony charges:

• Financial exploitation of an older adult
• Three counts of theft by deception

She remains in Jefferson County's Brookville Correctional Facility on $100,000 bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 6.

Additionally, Wright faces separate charges for:

• 22 counts of animal cruelty (April 2023)
• Intent to manufacture or deliver illegal narcotics (December 2023)

All three cases are currently pending in Pennsylvania courts.

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