Monia indicted on fraud charges; check was made out to George Joseph

A Cape Girardeau man is set for arraignment later this month on charges he defrauded a Scott City couple of $220,000.

Keith Monia, 52, was indicted May 16 in Scott County Circuit Court on two counts each of forgery and financial exploitation of the elderly, court records show.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed April 4 in Scott County, Monia took $220,000 from Alene Heisserer and her late husband, Louis, between 2010 and 2011, telling them he would invest the money in annuities, but instead kept the money himself.

The case came to light when the Heisserers' daughter, Connie Payne, found a $100,000 check dated June 17, 2011, made out to George Joseph with the words "investment loan" written on the memo line, the affidavit states.

According to the affidavit, the back of the check was "endorsed by the name George Joseph and credited to" an account with the name Scottrade, Inc.

George Joseph

"Alene explained that Monia instructed her to make this check out in the name of George Joseph who was an investment planner from New York that Monia worked with," Detective Branden Caid of the Scott County Sheriff's Department wrote in the affidavit.

Monia led Alene Heisserer, then 81, to believe she was paying for an annuities plan with American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co., Caid wrote.

Monia also is accused of convincing Alene Heisserer's late husband, Louis, then 82, to write a check for $120,000 -- payable to Monia -- on Sept. 10, 2010, with the understanding the money was to be invested in American Equity's "Gold Standard for a secure retirement Lifetime Income Benefit Rider," Caid wrote.

George Joseph -- who lives in Cape Girardeau, not New York -- was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action last week in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court.

Joseph, 48, is accused of killing his wife, Mary, and 18-year-old son, Matthew, before turning the gun on himself in an apparent suicide attempt May 30 at their home at 1220 W. Cape Rock Drive, court records show.

Last month, Caid confirmed authorities had talked to Joseph about the Monia case, but he has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with that case.

"We're unable to prove that he had any knowledge of Keith's illegal activities," Caid said. "I don't have any credible information that shows me that George was a willing participant in the financial exploitation."

It was not clear why his name was used or whether he actually endorsed the check from Heisserer.

Monia is scheduled for arraignment on the Scott County charges June 24.

A civil case with a similar theme is pending against him in Cape Girardeau County.

Paul Bollinger of Jackson filed a lawsuit against Monia in 2010, alleging he gave Monia $80,000 to invest in an annuity, but Monia instead pocketed the money.

Monia has said the $80,000 was a gift from Bollinger to help him with some financial difficulties.

Bollinger told the Southeast Missourian earlier this year that he filed a criminal complaint against Monia, but the statute of limitations had expired.

In February, the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission refused to renew Monia's license to sell insurance, saying he had "inappropriately withheld, misappropriated and converted Bollinger's money pursuant to Monia's work as an insurance agent by the use of fraudulent and dishonest practices and was not trustworthy."

The civil case is set for trial July 30.

Neither Monia nor Jeffrey Dix, his attorney in the civil case, could be reached for immediate comment by phone Thursday afternoon.

Online court records did not list an attorney for Monia in the criminal case.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Scott County Circuit Court, Benton, MO

1220 W. Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO