The Attorney General’s Office announced that Lilac Rain Brown-Fisher, 29, of Essex Junction, Vermont, was sentenced Monday for felony Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult resulting from her theft of valuable heirlooms from elderly and disabled clients at the Maple Ridge Memory Care facility. The Court, Judge John L. Pacht presiding, sentenced Ms. Brown-Fisher to a prison sentence of up to five years, suspended for a term of probation as a result of her prompt acceptance of responsibility. Brown-Fisher must pay restitution to the victims, may not work with or care for vulnerable adults, and must complete a restorative justice program with 200 hours of community service.
In February of 2024, the daughter of one of the Maple Ridge residents noticed that her parent’s keepsake jewelry had gone missing. The family located the jewelry at local pawn shop Vermont Coin and Jewelry, and reported the theft. Essex Police Department detectives reviewed Maple Ridge surveillance video and traced the theft to Activity Director Brown-Fisher. A joint investigation with the Attorney General’s Office revealed several more instances of theft by Brown-Fisher, but those heirlooms had already been disposed of by the pawn broker.
Ms. Brown-Fisher entered into a plea agreement on November 21, 2024. The Court delayed sentencing to allow victims to participate in the hearing. Four families presented personal statements regarding the severe personal impacts of Ms. Brown-Fisher’s violations. One victim explained, “My [mother’s] ring is gone and there’s no getting it back. My heart is sick that I can’t pass it down to her beloved granddaughter[.]”
If you suspect anyone is being or has been exploited, neglected or abused, contact local law enforcement immediately. Elder exploitation, neglect and abuse may also be reported to Adult Protective Services by calling 800-564-1612 and MFRAU at https://ago.vermont.gov/medicaid-fraud-report-form.
The Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $1,332,724 for Federal fiscal year FY 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $444,241 for FY 2025, is funded by the State of Vermont.
CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Outreach and Communications Coordinator, 802-828-3171