Married Couple Sentenced for Stealing $150K From Senior
State of DE - A New York couple is heading to prison after admitting to stealing more than $150,000 from an elderly Delaware man.
Bonnie Stiner, 56, and Craig Stiner, 55, of Belmont, New York, were sentenced on August 31, 2026. Each will serve two years in prison followed by probation.
The Stiner's pleaded guilty to felony Theft and Conspiracy Second Degree. The victim was 92 years old when the theft began, and he has since passed away.
The theft happened over more than a year, from January 2022 to March 2023. During that time, Craig and Bonnie Stiner accessed the victim's bank account dozens of times.
The couple used the stolen money to pay their own bills. They also spent it on vacations and entertainment.
Craig Stiner also drove the victim to his bank. Once there, he removed hundreds of valuable coins from the victim's safe deposit boxes.
The couple then pawned the coins and kept the money for themselves. In total, they stole more than $150,000 from the victim.
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings spoke about the case. "Theft in any capacity is criminal, to steal an entire life's savings from a nonagenarian is utterly despicable," she said. "While nothing can undo the harm that was caused to the victim, I am proud that these offenders will serve their time in prison, and thankful for our DOJ team and our partners in the Wilmington Police Department who helped bring them to justice and secure restitution for the victim's family."
Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos also commented on the case. "This investigation uncovered a truly disturbing case of theft and exploitation of a senior, and I am proud of the diligence of our investigators in gathering evidence and identifying those responsible," he said. "We appreciate the efforts of the Delaware Department of Justice to ensure these defendants were held accountable for their actions."
As part of their sentence, the Stiner's will be required to pay restitution to the victim's family. That payment will be made during their probation.
The case was handled by the DOJ's Economic Crimes Unit. Attorney General Jennings created the unit in 2019.
Since then, the unit has grown to more than three times its original size. It now includes prosecutors, investigators, forensic accountants and support staff. The unit handles financial crimes across the state, with a focus on large scale fraud, embezzlement, senior financial exploitation and misuse of public funds.
