HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — A Harford County man was sentenced to federal prison Thursday for stealing an elderly man’s life savings.
Eddy Ray Blizzard, 45, of Havre de Grace, pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $1 million from the Eastern Shore man. Blizzard was a registered broker and investment adviser, and the victim was his client.
According to the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, the fraud began in 2003 when the victim retired from his job and wanted to invest his retirement funds to provide an inheritance for his grandchildren. He went to his bank and shortly after, Blizzard became his financial adviser.
In 2005, Blizzard told the client that he was going out on his own as an independent financial adviser and asked the man if he would remain as his client. Blizzard said he would be working out of the bank’s Catonsville branch until his office opened. However, unbeknownst to the victim, Blizzard never opened his own office.
For several years, the victim met Blizzard outside of the Catonsville bank once a month. They would sit in Blizzard’s car for 30-45 minutes and the victim would hand over blank checks to Blizzard. The victim thought the checks were being used for his investments and to pay his mortgage.
Instead, Blizzard deposited the victim’s checks into bank accounts held by him and his wife. Blizzard used the money for down payments for a new house, boat payments, construction, property taxes and other personal expenses.
Some of the money Blizzard stole included the victim’s Social Security income.
The victim found out in August 2019 when he went to his bank to withdraw cash for a family vacation and the bank told him there weren’t sufficient funds in his account. He tried to call Blizzard for a week and then went to Blizzard’s home, which was in Perry Hall at the time, but no one answered. While he was at Blizzard’s home, Blizzard left the man a voicemail, explaining that all the victim’s money was gone.
As a result of the fraud, the victim’s house went into foreclosure in fall 2019 and he died a few months later at age 75.
Blizzard was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and two years of supervised release.
“Eddy Blizzard deserves every year he will spend behind bars. His cruel and calculated scheme went on for years and his brazen deception caused great harm to the victim and his family,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “The victim spent his life working diligently, saving for retirement, and building an inheritance for his loved ones. Blizzard not only stole a million dollars but took away their security and peace of mind.”
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 833-372-8311. This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or by calling 800-225-5324.
