Granddaughter accused of draining elderly man’s account for designer bags and surgery
GAITHERSBURG, MD – A Washington, DC woman has been charged with financially exploiting her 95-year-old grandfather over the course of nearly four years, draining more than $266,000 from his accounts to fund luxury purchases, car payments, and cosmetic surgery, police announced Tuesday.
Erica Hopper, 45, was arrested by detectives with the Montgomery County Police Financial Crimes Section following an extensive investigation into a complaint filed by a concerned family member in November 2021.
Hopper had been granted Power of Attorney in December 2020, when her grandfather was 90 years old. That legal designation gave her full access to manage his finances with a fiduciary duty to act in his best interest.
Instead, investigators say that from late 2021 through at least June 2025, Hopper used her grandfather’s money to pay over $25,000 in car payments, more than $49,000 in credit card debt—including purchases for cosmetic procedures, high-end fashion, accessories, and concert tickets—and more than $35,000 in rent for a luxury apartment in Washington, DC.
She was arrested on August 27 and charged with multiple felonies, including theft over $100,000, theft scheme over $100,000, embezzlement, fraudulent identity theft between $25,000–$100,000, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
Hopper was transported to the Central Processing Unit and later released on an unsecured personal bond. The case remains under investigation.
――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――
Key Points
- Erica Hopper, 45, is accused of stealing more than $266,000 from her 95-year-old grandfather
- Police say she used the money for luxury goods, surgery, car payments, and apartment rent
- Hopper was charged with theft, embezzlement, identity fraud, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult