Man stole dementia patient’s identity to pay for a new smile and puppy

A Florida man stole a dementia patient’s identity to pay for AUD$69,000 in spending on dental surgery and a puppy.

Authorities say Timothy Powell, 55, told Volusia County Sheriff's Office he was recruited by thieves who advised him he needed a better smile to pull off acts of fraud, reports WFTV.

Powell was told by his criminal mentors he should get his teeth extracted and replaced with implants.

He then bought the personal details of a dementia suffering 80-year-old man on the dark web.

But the victim’s carer was alerted when the elderly man received bills of $55,000 from a dental clinic.

Authorities said Powell spent almost $14,000 on a French bulldog puppy.

The victim’s brother, Jack Renner, told local media: “I never heard anything like that. It’s kind of different.”

Sheriff’s deputies said Powell's fingerprints were discovered on paperwork at the dentist's office, and they obtained photographs of him.