Foster City Woman Arrested for Financially Abusing Elderly Couple

A Foster City woman who had been hired as a caretaker for an elderly Belmont couple has been arrested on suspicion financial elder abuse, Belmont police said this week.

Kathleen Susan Fortune, 44, was arrested on Sunday by Belmont police as a result of an investigation that began two days earlier, when the couple, in their 90’s, reported their car was missing.

Fortune, who has several aliases, was booked into the San Mateo County Jail in Redwood City on suspicion of identity theft, theft from an elder by a caretaker, possession of stolen credit/debit cards and possession of narcotics, police said.

The elderly couple’s car, a white 2002 Buick Regal 4-Door, license# 4YEG426 (CA) is still missing.

Fortune had used sister’s name, Kimberlie Marie McKean, when she was hired by the Belmont couple, police said. She has also used the names of Kathleen McKean, Kathleen Kean, Kathleen Sanders and Kathleen Flieger, according to police

Belmont police believe that Fortune may have secured employment with other elderly people under one of her aliases or another, as yet, unknown name. 

“We are releasing her photo in the hope that if there are other victims, they might come forward,” said Belmont Police Chief Dan DeSmidt. 

“Often, elderly victims of this type of fraud are reluctant to come forward or may not have realized that they have been victimized,” DeSmidt added.

Anyone with information on Fortune is asked to call Belmont Police at 650-595-7400 or the Belmont Crime Tip Line at 650-598-3000.

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