A Leominster woman, Regina Henaku, 33, has entered a guilty plea for her role in a scheme that preyed on the trust and vulnerability of elderly individuals in Worcester and Middlesex Counties, as reported by the Attorney General's Office. Henaku was accused of masquerading as a professional caregiver to gain access to the bank cards of at least 16 elderly victims, which she then exploited to make off with roughly $28,000; she also attempted to steal from additional victims within the same age demographic.
Convicted of charges including Larceny Over $250 from an Elder or Disabled Person, Credit Card Fraud, and other related offenses, Henaku accepted the terms of her sentencing today, and according to the Massachusetts government website, she is slated to serve one year behind bars. The remainder of her two-year sentence will be suspended for a following two-year probationary period. She is prevented from future employment with vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly and disabled, and is obligated to compensate the victims for losses not already covered by their financial institutions.
This case spotlights the Attorney General's Elder Justice Unit, formed to champion elder rights and safety within Massachusetts; the unit has been instrumental in achieving several indictments and plea deals on behalf of the elderly, who are increasingly becoming targets for fraudulent schemes. Support for the prosecution of Henaku's case was extended by assistant attorney general Joanna V. Staley, senior healthcare fraud investigator Erica Schlain of the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division, and an ensemble of local police departments that included Holliston, Hopkinton, Bedford, Hudson, Leominster, and Framingham.
Throughout the investigation, it became apparent that Henaku employed deceitful practices not only to feign her qualifications as a caregiver but also to obstruct justice by misleading police through impersonating a relative. The AGO outlined these deliberate actions and abuse of position as Henaku ingratiated herself with various healthcare institutions across the region where she conducted her illicit activities. The AGO’s Medicaid Fraud Division, which receives much of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, remains dedicated to investigating and prosecuting healthcare fraud.
