A North Bellmore woman, employed as a home health aide in both Franklin Square and Massapequa, was arrested Wednesday after she allegedly attempted to steal more than $86,000 from her elderly patients.
According to Nassau County detectives, Sherriza Alfano, 50, was employed as a home health aide from May 2-25 at a residence on Poppy Avenue in Franklin Square.
During her time in Franklin Square, Alfano removed four checks belonging to two victims in her care, ages 83 and 84, and deposited them into her own bank account, police said. She made the checks payable to cash in the amounts of $15,000, $17,000, $4,000 and $900.
One victim suffered a loss of $900, while the other victim suffered no loss due to insufficient funds, police said.
On Aug. 6, Alfano, who was employed as a health aide for an 84-year-old woman at a residence on Villa Drive in Massapequa, called the victim and identified herself as someone from the IRS, police said. Alfano told the victim she had won money.
Alfano asked for her banking information, and the victim, believing her to be an agent, provided it, police said. Alfano then transferred funds from the victim’s account in excess of $50,000 to pay for her personal credit cards.
Crimes Against Property Squad detectives arrested Alfano on Wednesday at her residence. She is being charged with grand larceny in the second degree, two counts of grand larceny in the third degree, three counts of possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and identity theft in the first degree. She will be arraigned on Thursday at First District Court in Hempstead.
