Florida man charged thousands on victim’s stolen credit cards, deputies say

TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida man is accused of stealing a victim’s credit cards and spending thousands of dollars in purchases and cryptocurrency, authorities said.

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Austin Matthew Brooks, 31, of Tampa, was arrested Thursday and charged with the exploitation of a disabled adult, grand theft third degree ($10,000-$20,000), and possession of a controlled substance, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.

Deputies also found that Brooks was in possession of fentanyl when he was arrested, according to a news release.

According to the news release, the sheriff’s office said the victim, who had been hospitalized since October 2021, discovered that several unauthorized purchases had been made with his credit cards.

Investigators said Brooks bought merchandise at department stores and other local merchants, WFLA-TV reported. Deputies said that Brooks also used the credit cards to buy cryptocurrency, according to the news release.

Authorities learned that the victim would be at a loss for the alleged cryptocurrency purchases, according to WFLA. Deputies estimated that several thousands of dollars were lost via cryptocurrency transactions.

“It is infuriating that this suspect not only took advantage of one of the most vulnerable in our community but did so during a time when the victim should only be focused on their recovery in the hospital,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “He thought he would get away with these crimes knowing the victim was hospitalized, but our detectives’ thorough investigation led them to Brooks.”

Brooks’ bail was set at $17,000, online records show. Chronister said additional charges would be filed, according to the news release.

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