Kissimmee Woman Scams Elderly Cocoa Beach Resident Out of Approximately $17, 500
By Space Coast Daily // September 4, 2022
Jewel A. Testa, 57, arrested
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – Cocoa Beach Police have arrested a Kissimmee woman for scamming a elderly Cocoa Beach woman.
Jewel A. Testa, 57, of Kissimmee, was recently arrested for her alleged involvement in scamming an 84-year-old Cocoa Beach woman out of approximately $17, 500 between December 2020 and February 2021.
Cocoa Beach Police met with the victim back in February 2021 who stated that she received a phone call from a woman informing her that she won a sweepstake through Publishers Clearing House for several million dollars and would just need to pay the taxes on the winnings before receiving her money.
The victim was given a bank account number to deposit the amount requested of her and subsequently deposited a total of about $17, 500.
Detective Ezequiel Rodriguez was assigned this case, and through subpoenas of bank records and cell phone text messages, as well as other investigative measures, identified and confirmed Testa’s involvement in this alleged scam.
Subsequently, Detective Rodriguez made contact with Testa in Kissimmee and obtained further probable cause to charge her with Grand Theft.
Testa was taken into custody and transported to the Osceola County jail awaiting extradition to Brevard County. This case remains active and ongoing.
