BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — A woman faces six years in prison after scamming an elderly woman out of more than $20,000.
Marina Scotti ran a Florida-based company called Publications Marketing that solicited magazine subscriptions. From 2015 to 2017, she called a 90-year-old woman to solicit money for the subscriptions.
The elderly woman has dementia and, at the time, was living alone at home. She said she felt threatened by some of Scotti’s phone calls and thought she would get in trouble if she didn’t send the money. Over time, she — by check or credit card payments — gave more than $20,000 to Scotti for the magazine subscriptions. She never received those subscriptions.
Neighbors, friends and bank employees intervened when they realized what was happening and a friend filed a police report.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation, where they learned the elderly woman had worked as a vice principal and principal in Boulder area schools before retiring in the late 1990s. The investigation lead authorities to arrest Scotti.
Scotti pleaded guilty to exploitation of an at-risk elder over $500, which is a Class 3 felony. She was sentenced to six years in prison, plus five years of mandatory parole.
District Attorney Michael Dougherty said Scotti preyed on the woman and stole her money, pride and sense of security.
“The victim had a successful career and a very positive impact on our Boulder community,” he said. “The defendant was able to take advantage of her due to her medical issues. Thankfully, the victim’s friends intervened on her behalf and contacted the police. Securing justice for the most vulnerable victims is an absolute priority for the District Attorney’s Office and a sentence to state prison is the just outcome.”