Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Irmo man charged with stealing almost $15,000 from nursing home resident

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Demetrias Antonio Roberts, 41 years old, of Irmo, S.C. 

Roberts faces the following charges:

• One count of Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult {§ 43-35-85(D)}
• One count of Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent, value $10,000 or more (§ 16-13-230(A))

Roberts was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on February 19, 2026.

An investigation by South Carolina's Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud (VAMPF) unit concluded that, between July 18, 2025, and November 13, 2025, Demetrias Roberts knowingly and willfully exploited a vulnerable adult. Roberts improperly and unlawfully used the victim's funds or assets for personal profit or benefit.

While serving as the victim's power of attorney, Roberts accessed the victim's bank account to make unauthorized withdrawals and purchases totaling approximately $14,862.90. These transactions were for Roberts' own use and provided no benefit to the victim.

During the period of the alleged exploitation, the victim—legally classified as a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law—resided in a nursing home in Irmo, South Carolina.

South Carolina Offenses and Penalties:

• Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.
• Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent (value $10,000 or more) – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine in the discretion of the court.

This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. 

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,964,287 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $988,096 for FFY 2026, is funded by South Carolina.