Caregiver accused of stealing from Raleigh family

Raleigh, N.C. — A caregiver for a member of a Raleigh family with deep political and civic connections to the capital city was charged Thursday with stealing more than $70,000.

According to arrest warrants, Shannon Adrienne Poole, 39, of 307 Heck St., allegedly cashed numerous checks made out to Mary Ann Broughton, who is the 84-year-old daughter-in-law of former North Carolina governor and U.S. Sen. Joseph Melville Broughton.

Poole also purchased a $600 laptop from Costco with the victim's American Express card, the warrants stated.

The family had no comment Thursday about the case.

The charges, three counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, are in addition to 12 counts of forgery and one count of larceny filed against Poole on July 30.

She was in the Wake County Jail on Thursday morning under a $75,000 bond.

Raleigh police say crimes like this happen all too often and that perpetrators often gain the trust and confidence of their victims.

"This isn't the first time it's happened, and unfortunately, it's not the last," police spokesman Jim Sughrue said.

Sughrue recommends doing background checks and checking references on potential caregivers and continuing to monitor them and to know what kind of access they have to personal information and finances.

Joseph Melville Broughton was North Carolina's governor from 1941 to 1945 and was a U.S. senator from 1948 until his death in 1949. Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh is named for his uncle.

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Latest Comments

oh now i understand!

mramorak
August 15, 2008 5:56 p.m.

My grandparents were robbed like this. I hope the family gets the restitution that my family never got.

But on the other hand, what kind of computer is only worth $600 brand new, particularly with someone else's money? Wouldn't a real thief have bought a much more expensive computer if she thought she'd never have to repay? I can't help but sense a little frugality here, which seems out of place. It will be interesting to hear her side of the story at some point.

OpenM1nd
August 14, 2008 6:21 p.m.

She is a product of the liberal policies that have been failing for almost 60 years. Government should never take money from one citizen and hand it to another. They do it and they do it at the point of a gun. That is no different then the thug that walks into a bank or store and robs it at gunpoint. That has never been and never should have become the role of government. These entitlement programs have produced a class of people that are sort of willing to subsist on the handouts. Some will subsist, others will try to get more by committing crimes. The next level is selling drugs and killing each other. This is what the welfare system breeds. So every time you see a drive by shooting or a thug holding up a store, pat yourself on the back for supporting that type of behavior. Perhaps you can hang medallions on your cars for each life you help end by supporting the welfare state.

whatelseisnew
August 14, 2008 6:10 p.m.

posted....asbrown..."Certainly I agree that the welfare system needs to be constantly reformed, but to say that the government should give nothing to its impoverished is really ignorant."

asbrown...I really do not think that anyone here has a problem with our government taking some of our tax money and setting it aside to provide assistance to anyone. It's the fraud that is rampant in the system from public housing to health care to foodstamps that is unchecked and unpunished that most folks have a problem with!!!! Assistance is temporary NOT perminent!!!

GWALLY
August 14, 2008 5:40 p.m.

There are a lot of women in prison for this type of crime. I feel sorry for the victim.