Grumpy old conman back in jail

ATLANTA - Georgia authorities extradited an 82-year-old man accused of swindling an Alzheimer's victim out of nearly half a million dollars. 

The FOX 5 I-Team first began investigating Jerry Hoffman in 2007. He bragged he would soon be making five times more money than Wal-Mart by opening one-stop food stores in abandoned retail grocery locations. He called them Boxcar stores. He never opened a single store.

Instead, employees complained to the FOX 5 I-Team and law enforcement that Hoffman tricked them into working for little or no money. Hoffman served federal time for a mortgage scheme decades ago.

In 2012, Sandy Springs police began a criminal investigation after a former employee complained he found evidence Hoffman was forging the signature of Jane Grant, a widow who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

"Mr. Hoffman was exploiting someone with Alzheimer's so he could bankroll a business," Erik Leavell told us in 2012. "He was stealing from someone who had no ability to defend herself."

After that 2012 court hearing we tried to ask Hoffman questions as he walked to a nearby parking garage. Instead, the Grumpy Old Conman started whacking our photographer with his briefcase and umbrella, breaking our camera.

Shortly after that encounter, Ms. Grant's children took full control of her finances and reclaimed her car that Jerry Hoffman was driving. Inside, they found that abused umbrella, which they wanted the FOX 5 I-Team to have. But it took four more years to finally build the case against Hoffman and extradite him back to Georgia.

"We're looking forward to seeing him and bringing him to justice for what he's done to our victim," stressed Sgt. Forrest Bohannon of the Sandy Springs Police Department.

During his bond hearing, Hoffman argued about the theft charges he faced.

"What took place is one of the greatest shams possible in America today," he barked while handcuffed and standing in the back of the courtroom.

"This is one great sham," he continued. "And the district attorney knows it."

Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Brad Malkin told the court Hoffman has continually harassed Leavell, the former employee who first blew the whistle.

"Mr. Hoffman has contacted him or called him over 600 times in about a two-year period," he explained.

Throughout the bond hearing, Jane Grant's son Jim listened from behind a glass that separates the public from the prisoners.

"It's the typical attitude," Grant explained afterward. "It's the same thing he did in court is what he did in every court case. He's got the gift of gab basically. He can make anybody pretty much believe anything."

Not everybody. The judge denied bond because Hoffman has no ties to the community and the nature of the charge. He's due back in court February 19.

"Normally you hear about children or younger people taking advantage of the elderly," pointed our Sgt. Bohannon. "However, in this case he is relatively the same age as our victim. The only difference in this case is our victim has a diminished mental capacity and he was able to take advantage of that."