A 65-year-old Villager who targeted snowbirds in a rental ripoff scheme has paid $42,000 in restitution to her victims.
Jaclyn Hamilton-O’Neil, who was living in the Village of Tall Trees at the time of her arrest last year, was accused of renting out a home at 405 Santa Clara Circle to multiple would-be tenants, including some from Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Canada. The would-be rental property is located in the Village of Rio Ponderosa and was owned by her estranged husband. When she was soliciting the snowbirds, she was passing herself off as the owner of the property. The Seniors vs. Crime office in The Villages began receiving complaints from snowbirds who had made deposits and were told the house would not be available. The initial investigation by Seniors vs. Crime led to Hamilton-O’Neil’s arrest.
Last week in Sumter County Court, she was found guilty on a single charge of organized fraud.
She made a $42,000 payment to the court, money that will be divided among her many victims. She has been placed on probation for five years and has been ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.
In 2009, Hamilton-O’Neil was convicted of grand larceny in Orange County, New York.
