Sunday, August 30, 2020

Former caregiver charged with identity theft

By Mike LaBella

LONDONDERRY — A New Hampshire woman who worked as a caregiver has been charged with stealing the identities of four elderly people who were in her care.

New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald said Christina Lariviere, (who also goes by the names Christina Soleil and Christina Melvin), 35, of Bow, was arrested Friday on eight class A felony counts of identity fraud.

The charges allege that between July 10 and Aug. 14, 2019, Lariviere obtained the personal identifying information of four elderly people —ages 100, 97, 92 and 87 — without authorization and with the intent to pose as these individuals. The personal identifying information included social security numbers, state driver’s and non-driver’s identification numbers, and birth dates, according to a press release from MacDonald.

An investigation revealed that Lariviere obtained the personal information while employed as a caregiver at a long-term care facility in Londonderry where the elderly people lived, MacDonald said.

The charges also allege that between July 31, and Dec. 13, 2019, Lariviere, acting with a purpose to defraud, posed as two of these elderly people in order to open credit and financial accounts in their names, according to MacDonald.

The state is seeking an extended-term of imprisonment on all of the charges, alleging that Lariviere, in committing the crimes, intended to take advantage of the elderly people's ages and disabilities that impaired their abilities to manage their own property and financial resources.

Lariviere is expected to be arraigned on the charges in Rockingham County Superior Court this week.
This case was investigated jointly by the Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit of the Attorney General’s Office and the Londonderry Police Department.

Lariviere was previously arrested on Jan. 30 of this year and charged in the Hillsborough County Superior Court-Southern District, with four class B felony counts of check forgery.

Those charges allege that while working as an in-home caregiver in Pelham in November 2019, Lariviere altered, without authority, personal checks belonging to residents of an elderly housing facility.

Lariviere has since been charged in Hillsborough County Superior Court-Southern District with additional counts of theft by unauthorized taking and attempted theft by unauthorized taking, MacDonald said.

Lariviere also has charges pending in Rockingham County Superior Court for attempted theft by unauthorized taking, theft by unauthorized taking and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Lariviere has also been charged with one class A felony count of identity fraud in the Hillsborough County Superior Court – Northern District.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Bryan J. Townsend, II, of the Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder abuse or financial exploitation, please contact your local police department or the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services at 1-800-949-0470.

Full Article & Source:
Former caregiver charged with identity theft

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