Arizona Home Health-Care Worker Admits Theft

A home health-care worker admitted in court Wednesday that she stole more than $63,000 over two years from a couple in their mid-90s.

Rosario Valenzuela Bravo, 56, pleaded guilty to theft/financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult in Pima County Superior Court. She could be placed on probation or receive up to 8.75 years in prison.

If placed on probation, Bravo will have to serve at least six months in jail, but if she pays some restitution prior to sentencing, that could be reduced.

Bravo will also be required to pay $2,000 to the Health Care Fraud and Abuse section of the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

Bravo was indicted in July on three counts of forgery and one count each of fraud and theft/financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Bravo stole the money by forging checks and using one of the couple's credit cards without permission, Assistant Arizona Attorney General Jesse Delaney said.

Bravo often added $3,000, $4,000 and $7,000 to her weekly paycheck and then persuaded her patients to write a second check, saying she hadn't been paid yet that week.

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