A Hawthorne man has been charged with embezzling $2.9 million from a couple, according to authorities.

Court documents say Charles Gallo was hired as a personal assistant to help the couple manage monthly bills.

Authorities say he used the victim’s ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opened a line of credit and cashed bad checks. He also used their credit cards for personal purchases like gaming equipment.

Authorities say this all occurred over the span of 12 months. If found guilty, Gallo could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.