Trio arrested after allegedly stealing $350,000 from elderly widow in Leesburg

Three women have been put in custody for defrauding an elderly widow out of $350,000 over an 18-month period.

The Leesburg Police Department, in partnership with the State Attorney’s Office Circuit 5 and Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, has successfully held three women accountable for defrauding a senior widow out of $350,000. Detective Thomas Kauffman collaborated with these agencies to ensure justice for the victim. 

Attorney General Ashley Moody announced that charges have been filed against 56-year-old Kimberly Bitting, 57-year-old Lara Larsen and 35-year-old Ashton Silvis for their roles in the exploitation.  

Bitting, who had obtained power of attorney over the senior widow, abused this authority to issue checks from the victim’s accounts to her own and to her co-defendants, falsely claiming they were for caregiving services that were never provided. The investigation revealed that over an 18-month period, Bitting misappropriated funds and even purchased land using the victim’s money. 

Bitting faces serious charges, including three counts of elderly exploitation over $50,000 and one count of organized fraud over $50,000, both first-degree felonies. She was released from Lake County Jail after posting $185,000 bond. Silvis and Larsen face charges of organized fraud and intent to defraud with varying degrees of severity. They were released after posting their respective $20,000 and $15,000 bonds.  

Attorney General Moody emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable seniors and ensuring that those who take advantage of them are held accountable. The case will be managed by the Office of Statewide Prosecution in conjunction with the Lake County State Attorney’s Office.