A Worcester rest home administrator has been indicted by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) last week, charged with stealing over $220,000 from the rest home and its elderly residents. According to a press release from the Massachusetts AGO, Luiza Wade, 43, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, faces a total of twelve counts, including multiple charges of larceny, forgery, false entry in corporate books, and tax evasion.
The indictment, returned by a Worcester County Grand Jury on June 20, 2024, details allegations that Wade funneled funds from the Donna Kay Rest Home, where she was an administrator, into her own accounts between June 2018 and May 2021. It is reported that Wade falsified the signatures of over forty home residents to facilitate the transfer of the funds. Additionally, she reportedly did not report the money on her Massachusetts tax returns.
The AGO has charged Wade with four counts of Larceny over $250 from a Person 60 Years or Older or Disabled, four counts of Larceny over $1,200, two counts of Forgery, one count of False Entry in Corporate Books, and one count of Tax Evasion. Though charged, Wade is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The AGO's Senior Trial Counsel, Elisha Willis, and Assistant Attorney General Patrick McCooe are leading the case with a team of investigators. Support during the investigation was also provided by the Department of Public Health, the Donna Kay Rest Home, and the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AGO.
The allegations against Wade are part of a larger initiative by the AGO to combat elder abuse and financial exploitation. Previous actions include a $4 million settlement with a long-term care management company over inadequate staffing, and the indictment of a Springfield Medicaid consultant who stole from nursing home residents. In 2023, AG Campbell announced the formation of the Elder Justice Unit, aiming to safeguard the welfare of the elderly through various efforts provided by the AGO. The Medicaid Fraud Division, handling this case, is primarily funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with additional funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
