North Londonderry Township police announced Jan. 9 that 13 felony charges related to fraud, identity theft, and financial exploitation of an older person have been filed against 42-year-old Cortney Keefer of Palmyra.
Police allege that Keefer opened multiple credit card accounts using another person’s identifying information and then used them for purchases and cash advances.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, charges stem from a February 2024 police interview of a woman who lived in Palmyra with her great-grandmother, for whom she also held power-of-attorney due to the older woman’s terminal health condition.
The woman provided police with a statement by the older woman stating that her granddaughter, Keefer, had changed her mailing address and opened accounts in her name.
The woman told police that in late 2023, she and her great-grandmother noticed they were receiving less mail, and upon enquiry at the post office discovered that in August 2023 her mother, Keefer, had apparently completed a mail forwarding form using her grandmother’s name and signature, along with a forwarding address that corresponded to Keefer’s address at the time.
Upon correcting the mailing address with the post office, the woman told police that her great-grandmother began to receive credit card statements and “immediate action required” notices.
Following the February 2024 interview, Officer Joel Weidner secured search warrants for four accounts that were suspected as having been opened by Keefer in her grandmother’s name.
According to the affidavit, the subpoena responses indicated that contact info matching Keefer’s contact information was used for the accounts, which reflected an aggregate outstanding balance exceeding $10,000. The subpoena responses also uncovered a personal loan application submitted with Keefer’s contact information and her great-grandmother’s name and social security number. The personal loan was not approved.
Keefer is separately facing a misdemeanor charge of identity theft, now pending in the Court of Common Pleas. That charge, also originating in the February 2024 interview with police, was over a utility account allegedly opened by Keefer in her daughter’s name with an outstanding balance over $1,500.
Keefer was charged in May 2024 and, following a June 2024 preliminary hearing, posted a $1,000 bail bond. She currently awaits a court date.
Now, Keefer also faces four counts of felony identity theft, one count of felony forgery, four counts of felony access device fraud, and four counts of felony financial exploitation of an older person.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Keefer on Feb. 6 in front of Magisterial District Judge David Warner.
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