A Beaver Falls man is wanted by police, and two women have turned themselves in to authorities in connection with a home improvement fraud case in which investigators say an 87-year-old woman was bilked out of nearly $200,000.

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for Dannie Ledell Cook, 48, of Beaver Falls.

He is charged by state police with felony counts of theft by deception, deceptive business practices and home improvement fraud.

In court documents, police say Cook masterminded a 5-year-long scheme that steadily siphoned money from the victim, who is a former Slippery Rock University professor, for home improvement work.

The money, police say, was purportedly for work Cook promised to do updating the woman's home. The alleged fraud was discovered late last year, after the woman fell at home and had to be taken to Grove City Medical Center and later an assisted living facility. When her power of attorney began reviewing her finances, police said, they noticed the checks written to Cook, as well as 12 checks written to two women.

Two co-defendants both turned themselves in to authorities this week to face charges in the case. Both are charged with conspiracy to commit the crimes of theft by deception, deceptive business practices and home improvement fraud. All the charges are felonies.

Read more about this case in the Butler Eagle.