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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64349</law_id><section_number>18.2-178.1</section_number><catch_line>Financial exploitation of vulnerable adults; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-215.1</reference><reference>19.2-386.36</reference><reference>19.2-386.5</reference><reference>19.2-392.12</reference><reference>59.1-200</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Crimes Involving Fraud</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">False Pretenses</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">vulnerable adult</span>&#x201D; means the same as that term is defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults; penalties" href="/18.2-369/">18.2-369</a>. <a id="paragraph-234184" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-178.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It is unlawful for any person who knows or should know that another person is a <span class="dictionary">vulnerable adult</span> to, through the use of that other person&#x2019;s impairment, take, obtain, or convert money or other thing of value belonging to that other person with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to permanently deprive him thereof. Any person who violates this section shall be deemed guilty of <span class="dictionary">larceny</span>. <a id="paragraph-234185" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-178.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> <span class="dictionary">Venue</span> for the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> of an <span class="dictionary">accused</span> charged with a violation of this section shall be in any county or city in which (i) any act was performed in furtherance of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, (ii) the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> resided at the time of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, (iii) the <span class="dictionary">vulnerable adult</span> resides or resided at the time of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, or (iv) the <span class="dictionary">vulnerable adult</span> sustained a financial loss as a result of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. <a id="paragraph-234186" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-178.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> This section shall not apply to a transaction or <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of money or other thing of value in which the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> acted for the benefit of the <span class="dictionary">vulnerable adult</span> or made a good faith effort to assist such person with the management of his money or other thing of value. <a id="paragraph-234187" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-178.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2013, cc. 419, 452; 2022, cc. 259, 642; 2023, c. 330.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
