An Atlantic Beach husband and wife were charged with allegedly using their 84-year-old mother’s identity to secure a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) on her home and steal more than $250,000 in proceeds for their own personal use.
George and Eda Frenkel allegedly applied for a HELOC on George’s mother’s home in Atlantic Beach in March 2021, using the woman’s name, date of birth, and other personal information in the borrower’s section. The application was also purportedly signed electronically by the woman and an email address belonging to George Frenkel was listed. The application included a copy of a Power of Attorney (POA) from January 2021, also purportedly signed by the 84-year-old woman authorizing George Frenkel to use the POA to act on her behalf. The banking institution approved the HELOC in June 2021 and opened a checking account listing George’s mother as the owner.
On June 4, 2021, a $500,000 HELOC agreement was allegedly signed by George Frenkel as POA for Ann Frenkel listing Ann Frenkel as the borrower. Over a four-year period, the defendants allegedly siphoned more than $250,000 in unauthorized HELOC loan proceeds for their personal use.
From June 2021 to August 2025, nearly two dozen checks were allegedly written from the fraudulent HELOC account and deposited into Eda Frenkel’s personal bank account, with totals exceeding $250,000.
The defendants allegedly spent all the proceeds on personal expenses, including credit card payments and construction to the couple’s home in Atlantic Beach.
During the pendency of the HELOC, the defendants made monthly payments towards the loan until the account was closed in August 2025. There is still a balance of $250,000 on the loan and the property remains at risk for foreclosure.
George and Eda Frenkel surrendered to authorities on July 2, 2026.
“George and Eda Frenkel exploited George’s 84-year-old widowed mother and left her on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars through their alleged fraudulent actions,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “In secretly taking out a line of credit on her home, this couple allegedly funneled money to themselves for years to support their lifestyle and left the woman’s property on the brink of foreclosure. It’s sad to see someone treat their elderly mother this way, and my office will pursue justice in this disturbing case.”
George, 65, and Eda Frenkel, 51, were each arraigned today before Judge Michael Alpert on one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony) and one count of Identity Theft in the First Degree (a Class D felony).
The defendants pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. They are due back in court on August 7, 2026. If convicted, the defendants face up to five to 15 years in prison.