Blair County woman accused of stealing over $65K from brother after stroke

EAST FREEDOM, Pa. (WTAJ) -- A Blair County woman is facing charges after being accused of stealing and defrauding her brother out of more than $65,000 after he had a stroke.

Lisa Jane Cochran, 55, of East Freedom, was charged with identity theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property after he brother went to Freedom Township police over alleged fraud involving his sister.

The brother told police he had a stroke in 2017 and his sister, Cochran, was named his power of attorney, according to charges filed. In Sept. 2023, he went to police with statements from multiple accounts that he never opened, many of which with Cochran as an authorized user.

Police noted in the criminal complaint that there was more than $42,000 worth of charges on four accounts, including an M&T bank account. Police said another $23,986 was taken out as a car loan for a 2016 Jeep Cherokee registered to Cochran.