Woman accused of stealing money from mother, disguising drug habit funds as cancer treatment

RINGGOLD, Ga. (Gray News) - A woman is accused of stealing money from her elderly mother to fund her drug habit after telling her mother she was using the money for cancer treatment.

According to the Lookout Mountain Judicial Court District Attorney, Vickie Long entered a guilty plea to one count of exploiting an elder person, one count of identity fraud and one count of theft by taking.

Authorities said Long conned her mother into giving her “large sums of money for fictitious cancer treatments.”

When Adult Protective Services and family intervened and put a stop to the voluntary transfers, Long started using her mother’s information to take money from her checking and savings s, according to the district attorney.

Law enforcement determined that Long spent most of the stolen money on fentanyl.

Long’s mother lost her home and nearly $200,000 as a result of the defendant’s fraudulent schemes.

“If you steal from your elderly mother, you’re not just a criminal — you’re a coward,” said District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller. “This defendant claimed to have cancer, but the truth is, she was the cancer.”

Long was sentenced to 30 years, with the first 15 years to be served in confinement.