Substance abuse counselor steals patient’s identity, racks up $60K in debt
By Ross Guidotti
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GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — State police say a substance abuse counselor in Greensburg stole a patient’s identity then racked up tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
Investigators call it a catastrophic violation of trust between a trusted professional and a person asking for help.
According to state police, 34-year-old Nina Marie Barkley was acting as a professional counselor at a Greensburg addiction treatment center when she victimized a woman already coping with serious personal issues.
“When the patients came in, they’d have to give their information,” said Trooper Stephen Limani.
Investigators say Barkley gathered the normally confidential information for her alleged criminal activity.
“This counselor, Miss Barkley, decided to take this information and open up a ton of credit applications in the victim’s name,” Limani said.
Court records show Barkley opened up fraudulent accounts at eight financial institutions, including credit cards, loans and lines of credit. Limani says the money allegedly stolen added up to over $60,000.
When state police finally caught up with Nina Barkley, it was at her home in Greensburg. When they asked her who she was, she continued to have problems with her identity.
“When we approached her, she actually used the person’s name that she had stolen as her identity,” said Limani.
Barkley faces identity theft and other charges. She’s in the Westmoreland County Jail held on bond.
“It’s a shame someone would prey on someone who came into a facility like that,” Limani said.
Troopers say one of the reasons the victim was able to find out about the alleged illegal activity was by checking her credit report. They recommend everyone check their credit reports at least twice a year.
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