You could call this a ‘family feud.’
An elderly couple and their daughter are accusing their son of stealing money from them by stealing checks, and, fraudulently using his father’s name and social security number.
Saul Sergio Canales is 38 years old.
His father’s name is also Saul.
His sister Jeannette Hall describes her brother this way.
“He knows how to swindle people. He knows how to talk to people. And that’s his, his gift. He has the gift of gab.”
Hall says she and her elderly parents evacuated the family home as Hurricane Harvey approached in August 2017.
But she says her brother stayed in the house and wound up inflicting more pain on the family than Harvey did.
“He got their personal information. Social security numbers. At least a book of checks.”
And armed with that information, the family claims to have proof that he’s writing checks, applying for credit cards, and opening other accounts, using his father Saul’s name. The family says they get letters notifying them of possible fraudulent activity on one of their accounts, frequently. Hall, Saul’s sister, roughly estimates her brother has reportedly stolen more than $5000.00 from her parents, in more than a year and a half. And that’s left their parents broken. Distraught.
“They don’t know how, why could someone that they’ve loved so much,” Jeannette told the Troubleshooters, “Supported so much. How can he bite the hand that feeds him ?”
Frustrated, Hall filed a report with Taft Police in December 2017, accusing her brother of fraudulent use of credit cards and identity theft.
She says she’s had to put alerts on her father’s social security number, closed her parents’ old bank accounts, and notified credit card companies, because she claims, her brother’s still trying to use the information to get money.
She showed us a text she claims her brother sent out post-Harvey, asking family members and friends for donations to help pay for repairs to the family home.
But Hall claims she never saw her brother contribute any money or repairs to the house.
The repairs that have been made, came courtesy a local church, she says.
Hall and Saul’s parents are elderly. Her father is legally blind.
She’s their provider and has medical power of attorney over her father.
Plus she’s a mother of 3.
She also told us her parents are so shamed by what has happened, they asked not to be shown for this story.
When asked if she wants her brother to do time in jail or prison for the crimes, Hall replies:
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Hall says the family does not know where her brother, Saul Canales, is these days.
The Troubleshooters left 2 messages with Taft Police Captain Tim Bonovich this afternoon.
He has not returned our call.
