A man from Bessemer has received a prison sentence for his involvement in an elder fraud scheme, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, aged 47, to 50 months in prison. Pruitt was convicted by a jury in December 2024 for two counts of wire fraud.
During the trial, evidence revealed that in September 2023, Pruitt illegally obtained a Power of Attorney over an elderly family member suffering from dementia. This was done without the victim's knowledge or consent. Between September and December 2023, Pruitt devised a fraudulent scheme involving the victim's bank accounts. He became a joint account holder, changed the address on the accounts to his own, and manipulated the payable on death beneficiaries. Pruitt transferred $550,000 from the victim’s accounts to his personal accounts, using part of these funds for his benefit and moving $500,000 to a new account excluding the victim.
Pruitt's sentence was extended after he was found to have committed perjury when testifying in his defense, leading to an obstruction of justice enhancement. The case was investigated by the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan S. Rummage and Brett Janich leading the prosecution.
The statement emphasizes the importance of reporting fraud, especially schemes targeting older adults, to aid law enforcement. The National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 offers support and resources for victims aged 60 or older. Managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, the hotline provides assistance in multiple languages to help victims report fraud and seek restitution. More information is available on the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice website, and victims can file complaints online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
