What began as a long-term caregiving arrangement in Miami ended with a trip to jail this week, according to investigators. A Miami caregiver was arrested after police say she siphoned roughly $24,000 from an elderly woman’s bank account and ran the money through casino machines while living in the victim's home.
Officers arrested 65-year-old Charlotte Regina Butler on Thursday in northwest Miami-Dade and charged her with second-degree exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult. Investigators say Butler had been the woman’s primary caregiver since about 2018.
Investigators link withdrawals to casino play
According to WSVN, Butler was added as an authorized signer on the victim’s Wells Fargo account so she could help manage the woman’s finances. Investigators say that access turned into a steady stream of ATM withdrawals at locations tied to casinos.
Police estimate about $24,000 was taken out from ATMs associated with casinos. Records from Hialeah Park Casino allegedly matched Butler’s player-account activity to many of those withdrawal dates and amounts, lining up the trips to the bank with trips to the slots.
The charge and how Florida law applies
Prosecutors charged Butler with second-degree exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult, a felony in Florida when the alleged theft totals between $10,000 and $50,000, per Florida Statutes §825.103. The statute is written to give prosecutors stronger tools in cases involving vulnerable adults and allows them to add up multiple withdrawals or transactions to determine the degree of the offense.
A troubling local pattern
Local authorities say this case fits into a troubling trend in South Florida, where caregivers or trusted acquaintances are accused of quietly draining seniors’ savings, then spending a chunk of the money at casinos.
In a previous case, investigators accused a woman of taking more than $210,000 from a Coconut Creek senior and spending some of it at casinos, according to Local10. A separate report detailed a Hollywood case where a family friend was accused of blowing a senior’s savings at a casino, per Friend busted for blowing senior's savings.
What’s next and how to report suspected exploitation
Court records show Butler was arrested Thursday and was scheduled to make her first appearance Friday. A bond had not been set at the time of her arrest, according to WSVN.
Anyone who suspects elder exploitation can call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or consult the Department of Children and Families’ Adult Protective Services guidance online for reporting instructions and next steps.
