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DA: 'Sweetheart Scammer' Stole $500,000 From Elderly L.I. Man

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The arraignment of a woman accused in a so-called "sweetheart scam" has been postponed until Tuesday.

Lisa Ferkovich, 47, of Bay Shore, allegedly bilked an 83-year-old North Babylon man out of nearly $500,000.

Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said Ferkovich met the victim at a supermarket over the summer, found out he was widowed and lonely and wormed her way into his affections, 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reported.

"He thinks that there is a bond between them, the only bond that was between them was that she was going to suck every penny she could out of this poor man," Spota said.

DA: 'Sweetheart Scammer' Stole $500,000 From Elderly L.I. Man

"Our investigation found evidence she drained his bank accounts, accessed his mutual fund holdings, and rolled up $35,000 in bills using his credit cards," Spota said.

Ferkovich was arrested on Nov. 27. She is being held in Suffolk County jail without bail.

Ferkovich, who is also known as Ruby Mitchell, Lisa Sideris and Lisa Brown, scammed as many as four elderly men over the past two years, Spota said.

In a first for Suffolk County, Ferkovich will be prosecuted under New York's hate crime statute for crimes against the elderly, Rivera reported. She faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Ferkovich is expected to be arraigned on a grand larceny as a hate crime charge at First District Court in Central Islip on Tuesday.

Ferkovich also faces an identity theft charge in a separate case in which she is accused of using the ID of another elderly man to buy three vehicles, including a new Mercedes, Spota said.

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