Richard Short seemed sincere enough last April when he stood in front of a judge, asking to become his elderly neighbor's power of attorney.

"I really don't need money, and I really don't want to take anything from her," he said.

But police say Short eventually forged the signature of the 86-year-old woman suffering from dementia to become her power of attorney, after a judge denied that request.

Now, police say Short is in hot water.

"He's violent in a different kind of way. He's violent because he preys on people," says Genesee County Sheriff Bob Pickell.

Genesee County authorities have now charged Short with 24 felony counts, including embezzlement and fraudulently using his elderly neighbor's ATM card. They believe Short has taken thousands of dollars from the woman, who now lives in a nursing home.

"Mr. Short was in posession of her mail, her bills, her bank statement, prescriptions," Pickell says.

Short catapulted himself into the spotlight when he stood next to the Governor Tuesday, accepting a $9.1 million tax credit for his so-called renewable energy company. That's when people started recognizing him for previous crimes. Now, Pickell says short could be facing life in prison for these five-year felonies because he's a habitual offender.

"Here's a woman in the later stages of life, who's holding onto the little money she has. That takes it to a whole other level," Pickell says.

Short was arraigned Friday and is being held in the jail on $9 million bond.