A Lake Worth caregiver has been arrested and charged amid allegations of defrauding an elderly woman and using her deceased client's credit cards to fund a luxury shopping spree. According to CBS12, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reported that Nerlande Charles is accused of racking up approximately $44,000 in unauthorized charges on her late client's bank accounts and making off with a Lexus among other items.
The situation started to unfurl when the niece of the deceased, acting as the trustee of the estate, discovered the fraudulent activity. In a discovery that was to shock the family deeply, she found out that personal belongings, important paperwork, and hidden cash were missing from her aunt's condo. When confronted, Charles claimed the Lexus had been given to her, despite its destined place in the family trust, as detailed in a report by WPBF 25 News. It was also alleged that Charles later sold the car and purchased a Nissan Maxima, pocketing the cash difference.
Investigations revealed that Charles continued to care for her client after the client's husband, for whom she initially worked, had passed away. As the elderly woman's condition worsened, leading to a severe mental decline, Charles reportedly began to take control over financial matters, resulting in suspicions that culminated in the uncovering of nearly $318,000 in missing funds from the aunt's account, as noted by CBS12.
The list of charges against Charles includes exploitation of the elderly of $50,000 or more, using a deceased person's identification, and money laundering of $300 to $20,000. It was further alleged by the niece that on the night before her aunt died, Charles managed to hastily complete online transfers from the victim’s bank account. Charles was arrested on Wednesday and placed under house arrest with an $850,000 bond, with the court ordering her not to have any contact with the victim’s family, witnesses, and restricted telephone privileges as reported by WPBF 25 News.
