Elder fraud case: Blank check turns into $20K loss for disabled Augusta man

Chad Adams

Date: May 09, 2025

Authorities are searching for 41-year-old Chad Adams of North Augusta, who is wanted in connection with a fraud and exploitation case involving a disabled elderly man.

Adams is facing charges of theft by conversion and exploitation of an elderly or disabled person, stemming from an incident on Dec. 6 at a Curry Street home in Augusta.

According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the victim, a 77-year-old man, reported the incident to police on March 21. The victim, who is disabled and whose children hold power of attorney on his behalf, stated that he gave Adams a signed blank check for home improvement work that was never completed. Authorities say Adams was not licensed to perform the work and allegedly made the check out to himself for $20,000 without a contract or having done any labor.

Despite the victim confronting the suspect about the check, Adams is accused of proceeding to cash it without the victim’s permission.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is actively seeking Adams, described as 6 feet tall, weighing 250 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Chad Adams’ whereabouts is urged to contact Investigator Clifford Banks or any on-call investigator at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office by calling 706-261-0425 or 706-821-1020.

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The Author

Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. He also owns AugustaCrime.com. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel. He is married with two daughters.

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