Bridget Nicole Compton, 51, of Philadelphia. (Credit: Bucks County DA)
An employee at the Department of Public Welfare has admitted to stealing more than $130,000 from a resident of the Norristown State Hospital and will be sentenced in January.
Bridget Nicole Compton, 51, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony counts of financial exploitation of an older adult or care dependent person, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, forgery, and identity theft, according to court records.
Compton was charged by Bucks and Montgomery County detectives in December 2024, after diverting five checks from the victim's account to her own bank account, totaling $132,480.01.
An investigation began in November 2024 when the theft was reported by an interested third party, police said. Detectives determined that each of the checks was cashed at Cottman Check Cashing in Philadelphia, per the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators found correspondence between Compton and the victim and found nothing to indicate that Compton was allowed to make financial transactions on the victim's behalf.
The victim told police that Compton's help was needed with an address change on the bank account, so the victim can continue to receive mail from the bank, per the DA. However, Compton was never authorized to transfer money from the account, police said.
Compton told authorities she impersonated the victim in phone calls to the bank, authorizing checks to be sent to Compton's mom's house. Then, Compton retrieved the checks and liquidate them at the check cashing business.
Compton told police she spent all the money, which included a $10,000 gift to her mom and a Puerto Rico vacation in July 2023, according to investigators.
"I got the money in July and was broke by Christmas ... that's how quick it went," Compton told detectives.
The investigation was prosecuted by Bucks County Deputy District Attorneys Brittney Kern and John Fegley.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026. She is free on $100,000 unsecured bond and is represented by Feasterville attorney Paul Lang.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
