Gambling Habit Blamed For Theft Of Drumright Nursing Home Residents' Money

The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office charged the former administrator of the Drumright Nursing Home with financial exploitation. 

The probable cause affidavit in the case says Tina Pearson, 57, diverted a total of $217,758.13 from 33 elderly residents from January 2012 to October of 2015.

The affidavit says Pearson was employed at the home off and on for about 27 years. She was administrator from 2005 until she left on October 23, 2015, according to the affidavit.

As administrator, she oversaw the trust account set up for each resident. The affidavit says a review of banking records showed Pearson wrote checks from the resident trust account made payable to cash, to herself, or to the name of the bank holding the trust so she could withdraw the residents’ funds in cash.  

She told the investigator she took the money to support her gambling habit, according to the affidavit. She offered to give up her administrator's license and to pay the money back, the document says.

If convicted, Pearson faces fines and up to 10 years in prison.