Alleged Slimeball Charged with Theft of $27K from 100-Year-Old

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe on Wednesday announced that Edward Ratner (DOB 03/01/61) of 532 Prospect Avenue, Dumont, New Jersey has been charged with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class “D” Felony.

Ratner is accused of stealing more than $27,000 from an elderly man known to the defendant. According to the charges, the defendant is alleged to have taken advantage of the 100-year-old victim by accessing his bank account in order to steal the money. The victim, born in 1911, has known Ratner for 44 years. The defendant was also a trusted friend of the victim’s family.

Beginning in October 2010, the defendant accessed the victim’s account by using his routing number to make electronic withdrawals to pay various personal bills without the knowledge of the victim.  Ratner is alleged to have paid over 30 personal bills from the victims account without permission or authority. The total amount stolen is in excess of $20,000. The arrest of the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Rockland County Special Investigations Unit.  Ratner was arraigned today in the Town of Orangetown Justice Court by the Honorable Paul Phinney and released on his own recognizance. He is due to return to court on December 5, 2011. If convicted, the defendant faces seven years in prison.