The
January 2026 Fort Worth ACFE Monthly Chapter meeting will be held at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. Details are below:
| Date : |
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 |
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Speakers:
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Alicia Patterson, Assistant District Attorney, Dallas County, Prosecutor - Gang Unit
DeAnna Debenport, CIA, CFE, Forensic Financial Analyst, Specialized Crime Division
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| Topic: |
Nursing Home Nightmare: The Investigation and Prosecution of Diane Dancer
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| Objectives: |
- Understand how position-based trust and access enabled an elder financial exploitation scheme within a senior living facility.
- Demonstrate how forensic bank record analysis and source-and-use-of-funds techniques uncover misappropriation of funds.
- Examine key prosecution considerations and outcomes in an elder financial abuse case, from investigation through resolution.
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| Prerequisite: |
No prerequisites are required.
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| Location: |
Parking Location:
Parking Lot K (next to Lou's Place)
The spots blocked with traffic cones are for our event, so just move the cones. If there are no cones, you may park in any open spot in the lot.
Meeting Location:
Lou's Place
Texas Wesleyan University
1112 Wesleyan Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76105
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| Time: |
12:00 Noon Check-in, Networking, Lunch
12:30 - 1:30 PM Lunch and Presentation
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| Price: |
$30 - Fort Worth ACFE Chapter Member
$45 - Non-Member / Guest
$30 - Government / Law Enforcement
$25- Law Enforcement or Educator
$0 - Texas Wesleyan University Student
$10 - Other Students
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| CPE Offered: |
1.0 Hour
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Description
Diane Dancer was an office manager for Autumn Leaves, a senior living and nursing home facility in Dallas. During her employment, she used her position to deceive over a hundred elderly residents and their families into making out their rent checks to an LLC that she created, Royalty Advocate Service. She used her access to company files to manipulate payments and account notes to give Autumn Leaves management the impression that she was working the residents to ensure that they were catching up on their late payments. In reality, she deposited residents’ rent checks in her personal accounts. Forensic financial analyst DeAnna Debenport with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office Specialized Crime Division will share her review of bank records to create a source/use of funds analysis. Former elder abuse chief prosector Alicia Patterson will discuss the prosecution and ultimate outcome of the case.
Speaker(s) Information
Alicia Patterson, Ph.D., J.D., was the chief prosecutor of the Elder Abuse Unit at the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. She handled cases involving financial fraud, abuse and neglect, and violent crimes against elderly and disabled victims. Prior to joining the Elder Abuse Unit, she was a family violence prosecutor. She has tried cases ranging from DWI to capital murder.
She has presented on elder law, romance scams, financial fraud, elder abuse and neglect, boarding homes, and investigating crimes against the elderly and disabled to law enforcement, financial institutions, adult protective services investigators, and community members.
DeAnna Debenport, MBA, CIA, CFE
Forensic Financial Analyst DeAnna Debenport has worked with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office since July 2024. In her role with the Specialized Crime Division, she analyzes financial records for White Collar and Elder Abuse cases. She also provides expert testimony in jury trials, open pleas, and restitution hearings as needed.
Prior to joining the District Attorney’s Office, she worked as an accountant for a Fortune 500 company and as an internal auditor for FWISD, with responsibilities including the monitoring of their $1.2b bond program.
Additional Logistics
Lunch and parking are available and included in the registration price. If you have special dietary restrictions, please contact president@fwacfe.org