A Roseville man described as a pastor of a St. Paul church has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a vulnerable 78-year-old man, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court.
The complaint charges Gregory Maurice Oats, 31, with four felony counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult after Oats allegedly befriended a man with Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and paranoid schizophrenia.
The man was a congregant at Oats’ Word of Faith Ministries, according to the complaint. A website says Word of Faith Ministries is at 639 Jackson St. in St. Paul.
Oats became the man’s care agent for health issues Oct. 8, 2009, and obtained a power of attorney Feb. 16, 2010, gaining control of his finances, the complaint said.
In June 2010, Oats placed the man in a nursing home in Minneapolis and had access to his bank account, the complaint said.
The complaint said that from June 2010 to February 2011, suspicious withdrawals totaling $16,321.69 were made on the account, including 130 ATM cash withdrawals and purchases at Walmart, T-Mobile, Home Depot, Comcast, Burger King and McDonald’s.
The complaint said the nursing home is a total-care facility that provides for all of the man’s needs.
But the complaint said Oats failed to pay the man’s bill at the nursing home from July 2010 to March 2011, amounting to $12,990, which put the man at risk of eviction.
Oats did not respond to an email message. The church phone number was disconnected and no home number was found.
Richard Chin can be reached at 651-228-5560.
