Arapahoe County, Colorado: A 33-year-old Colorado woman has pleaded guilty to stealing $40,000 from a 90-year-old man after allegedly gaining his trust through a series of personal and financial stories.
Priscilla Johnson pleaded guilty this week to theft and criminal exploitation in connection with the case. Authorities say she approached the elderly man at a grocery store in Centennial, Colorado, in July 2025.
Johnson reportedly told him that her fiancé had been killed in a car crash. She exchanged phone numbers with the man and later met him for lunch. She also claimed to be a makeup artist and cosmetologist whose belongings had been stolen from her car and that she urgently needed money to replace them.
The 90-year-old initially gave her $6,000. Johnson later asked for another $34,000, claiming she needed the money for cancer treatment.
The victim’s son became suspicious after learning that Johnson had asked his father for cash to pay a doctor. He contacted the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, which used grocery-store surveillance footage and phone records to identify and locate Johnson.
Investigators later accused Johnson of using similar tactics against other older men. According to court records, another man in his 80s, Rick Wadleigh, said Johnson approached him at a grocery store with a similar story about her fiancé’s death and financial difficulties. He gave her nearly $8,000, including money obtained through a credit-card cash advance.
In a separate case, authorities allege that another man gave Johnson $450,000 after believing he was legitimately investing in her gold business.
Prosecutors said the alleged relationships often began with conversations in person before moving to phone calls and text messages. The victims were made to believe they were developing a friendship or romantic relationship before being asked for money.
Authorities have urged families to stay alert when older relatives develop sudden relationships with strangers, particularly when the person quickly asks for money or uses emergencies such as illness, death or financial hardship as a reason for the request.
Under her plea agreement, Johnson must repay the 90-year-old victim’s $40,000 along with interest and complete 60 hours of community service. Her cases involving other alleged victims remain pending, with additional charges including theft, forgery and crimes against at-risk persons.
