WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Guilty: That was the verdict handed down in the case of a jury of a Hazleton man who scammed a 95-year-old woman out of her home.
Investigators say 35-year-old Jeremy Cieniawa from Hazleton gained the trust of the wheelchair-bound woman and then violated it.
The jury deliberated for about three hours finding Jeremy Cieniawa guilty on all counts, including theft and crimes against a care-dependent person.
Prosecutors say and the jury believed that Jeremy Cieniawa took advantage of that trust for personal gain.
28/22 News has video of Cieniawa as he was led out of the courthouse. He threw some obscenities our way.
Submit an I-Team Tip
Prosecutors say this all began in 2021 when he was allowed to live rent-free with the 93-year-old woman, who is now 95, under the condition that he do repairs and maintain the home.
Hazleton detectives say in October of 2022, Cieniawa allegedly posed as her nephew and sold her house without her fully understanding what was taking place.
Prosecutors say he sold the home where she lived her entire life for $77,000 and allegedly spent all but $4,000 on himself.
Cieniawa maintained his innocence and defense lawyers argued that he took good care of the victim for some three years as her primary caretaker.
28/22 News spoke with the victim and their great nieces.
"I was so relieved. It's devastating for anybody to go through this. For her to relive this over and over again. I was so relieved that it was over. She got Justice," Karey Lisiewski explained.
"Overwhelmed. I can cry it's been a long two years but it's over and Justice prevailed," said the great-niece of the victim Allison Tomczyk
"What does it mean to the family?" 28/22 News Reporter Andy Mehalshick asked.
"We can finally move on we can move on. We know he can't do this somebody else," Tomczyk replied.
"You're glad it's over?" Mehalshick asked.
"Thank God, thank god, it's over. After all this time yeah I'm glad it's over that's the main thing,"
Cieniawa will be sentenced later this year. He faces 25 to 30 years in prison.
