ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. – Nearly three months after the St. Charles County Circuit Court filed a warrant for his arrest, an O’Fallon, Missouri, man accused of scamming a disabled elderly woman out of tens of thousands of dollars.
According to a probable cause statement filed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), between July 2022 and January 2023, James D. Hughes, 59, took advantage of medical and psychological issues affecting the victim by convincing her to sell her home and place the money in a revocable trust and name Hughes the trustee of said funds.
Hughes transferred the money from the revocable trust into his own account and used the funds for his own benefit, DHSS said.
According to investigators, Hughes swindled the victim out of $76,363.76. When the money was gone, Hughes asked to be removed as trustee and is believed to have relocated to Florida.
On May 9, 2024, the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Hughes with two counts of stealing – $750 or more and two counts of stealing – $25,000 or more.
Anyone with information on Hughes’ whereabouts is asked to contact the county’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit at 636-949-3000 (ext. 2633) or via email at ndolin@sccmo.org.
