A Bessemer man has been indicated federally after authorities say he scammed an elderly family member out of more than $500,000.

Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, 47, is charged with two counts of wire fraud, Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples announced Tuesday.

According to the indictment, Pruitt in September 2023 executed a Power of Attorney over the victim, an elderly family member, without the victim’s knowledge or permission.

Between September 2023 and December 2023, Pruitt devised a scheme to defraud the victim by becoming a joint account holder on the victim’s bank accounts, removing two payable on death (POD) beneficiaries from one of the accounts, and adding two POD beneficiaries to an account.

Pruitt also transferred more than $500,000 in funds from the victim’s accounts to his personal bank accounts.

The FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage is prosecuting.

If convicted, Pruitt faces up to 20 years in prison.

He is set to be arraigned on the indictment on Aug. 15.