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Spring Hill man accused of stealing more than $100,000 from his dad

 
Vincent Caliendo, 39, had obtained power of attorney over his father.
Vincent Caliendo, 39, had obtained power of attorney over his father.
Published June 21, 2017

SPRING HILL — A man has been accused of stealing more than $100,000 from his father and trying to obtain a reverse mortgage on his home.

Vincent Caliendo, 39, was arrested May 30 in South Carolina, more than a year after Hernando deputies issued a warrant for his arrest, and brought to the Hernando County Detention Center on June 11.

In October 2015, Caliendo obtained power of attorney over his father, Bernard, who was diagnosed with early-stage dementia, according to a Sheriff's Office news release.

On March 29, 2016, Bernard Caliendo reported missing funds from his bank account to the Sheriff's Office. Authorities found that his son had withdrawn $105,888.99 from both his father's checking and savings accounts between March 17 and March 28, then transferred the money to his account, which previously had a negative balance, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said Vincent spent $16,128.37 on hotels, restaurants, retailers and bills. None of the purchases were for his father's benefit.

When his father confronted him over the phone about the missing funds, Vincent told him he'd never see the money again, according to the Sheriff's Office report.

Vincent's largest withdraw was $100,864 at Wells Fargo Bank in Spring Hill on March 28. He was given a cashier's check, which he deposited the next day at a Wells Fargo Bank in Clermont.

On April 4, he returned to the bank in Clermont, asked for cash and was given $10,000. Two days later, he came back, asking for $89,473.

Because Wells Fargo had placed notes on both the father's and son's accounts regarding the Sheriff's Office investigation, Clermont police were notified, and they apprehended Vincent before he left the bank. That money was later returned to his father and Vincent was let go at the Clermont bank since the offenses took place in Hernando, the Sheriff's Office said.

During the investigation, Hernando deputies learned that Vincent had tried to obtain a reverse mortgage for $48,070 on his father's home.

Detectives obtained a warrant to arrest Vincent on May 12, 2016. However, deputies were unable to locate him. He was apprehended in Lexington County, S.C., last month, on May 30, as a result of a Crime Stoppers tip.

He was arrested on charges of exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult and grand theft, and remained in custody this week in lieu of $20,000 bail.