Retiree wanted to help poor, man charged with helping himself to her money

A federal grand jury this week indicted a Kansas City man on charges he fleeced a retiree who first gave him money to help the poor.

Gregory T. Evans, 59, co-owner of Regal Homes LLC, is charged for a wire fraud scheme.

From a media release by federal prosecutors:

Three years ago, the victim told Evans she wanted to help poor neighborhoods. He suggested she buy a house in the 4100 block of Chestnut in Kansas City, which he would renovate to provide to a needy family.

She gave him $17,000 in 2012 to buy the house (which he allegedly bought for less than $12,000).

Then she gave him $22,000 more to renovate it.

He instead transferred the money to his bank account and used it for personal expenses.

Then he gave the victim a chance to invest in what he said was a securities deal with a bank in Thailand. She gave him two $50,000 wire transfers for that and got no money from the investment.

In all, Evans stole $125,480 from the victim, according to the indictment returned Wednesday.