ALBANY, N.Y. (Tribune News Service) — A Saratoga Springs woman was recently indicted for misappropriating the funds of a veteran declared legally incompetent, as well as stealing from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The charges filed against JoAnne Natalie, 64, carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of $50,174.42, representing the amount allegedly stolen.

Natalie was arraigned in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and released pending a trial scheduled before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.

This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping.

This case is part of the Elder Justice Initiative. The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving elders can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Christopher F. Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.

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