ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Authorities said a handyman in St. Cloud is accused of exploiting an elderly man, persuading him to pay for a series of strange renovations to his home.
Edward Allard's house is easy to spot, with fake flowers on the mailbox, two dozen birdhouses and a mannequin with a lawn mower.
Allard, 89, has lived in the home for decades and had handyman Charles Bailey help take care of the house.
Bailey, however, is accused of charging Allard $25,000 over a five-month period for home repairs.
Investigators said Allard has always been eccentric, but his mental capacity began to diminish in April, when he was reported missing after driving away from the home with a mannequin glued to the top of his car.
Authorities said Allard was in no condition to make financial decisions, and Bailey knew that, but cashed the checks anyway.
Detectives said Bailey cashed 21 checks for a series of construction projects, like an addition to the house that was done without any permits and may have been dangerous. There were electrical outlets running through the thin walls, exposed on the outside.
Detectives were alerted by the victim's daughter, who monitors her father's checking account and noticed the payments being made. She thought it was wrong and reported it.
Bailey is now facing felony charges of exploiting the elderly. He's being held in the Osceola County Jail.
WFTV
