by Ryan Mackey
Miami-Dade County – Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle on Friday announced the arrest of a 34-year-old woman for allegedly exploiting an 84-year-old male veteran.
According to Fernandez Rundle, the veteran had been residing at Camillus House, a homeless shelter in Miami, for approximately three years as part of a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program intended to provide housing stability for veterans experiencing homelessness.
She said Tashia Raymond-Stackhouse, a former Camillus House employee, had been employed as a community integration specialist and was responsible for advocating for clients within the Camillus House program and assisting those clients with their housing needs.
After working with veterans and gaining a position of trust, detectives said Raymond-Stackhouse allegedly exploited the victim after obtaining money orders that he requested.
Utilizing this trust, the veteran allowed Raymond-Stackhouse to appropriate over $14,000 of the victim’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) funds, according to detectives.
According to Fernandez Rundle, Raymond-Stackhouse acquired the victim’s new ATM card when it arrived in the mail for him at the Camillus House program site, showing the victim the card and advising him she would keep it in her possession for safekeeping. Authorities said she also persuaded the victim to disclose the ATM card’s PIN number to her.
After further investigation, detectives said it was discovered that from January of 2022 to August of 2022, Raymond-Stackhouse allegedly made 14 transactions from the victim’s Wells Fargo account completed via ATM withdrawals and subsequent deposits to Raymond-Stackhouse’s personal bank account were made on the same day.
According to investigators, the unauthorized cash withdrawals from the victim’s account and the subsequent deposits to Raymond-Stackhouse’s account totaled over $10,500.
“We are grateful to the Office of the Miami-Dade State Attorney for their quick and diligent investigation and subsequent arrest of a former employee after we uncovered and immediately reported what was clearly an effort to defraud an elderly and vulnerable individual under our care,” said Camillus House CEO Hilda M. Fernandez in a press release. “As disturbing as this person’s actions are, I am confident that the important work that our employees have faithfully and selflessly provided for more than six decades to tens of thousands of needy individuals will not be undermined by the acts of this former employee whose behavior is contrary to our mission and history of service to the poor and homeless in our community. Our immediate response is indicative of our commitment to protecting the vulnerable in our care who put their trust.”
According to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Raymond-Stackhouse was arrested Friday, but jail records show that she has not yet been booked.
Raymond-Stackhouse is facing one count each of the following felony charges:
• Exploitation of an elderly/disabled person in an amount over $10,000 but less than $50,000 - Second-degree felony
• Grand theft on a person over 65 in an amount over $10,000 but less than $50,000 - Second-degree felony
•Organized scheme to defraud in an amount under $20,000 - Third-degree felony
• Fraudulent use of personal identification information - Third-degree felony
Full Article & Source:
Ex-employee accused of financial exploitation of 84-year-old veteran living in Miami-Dade homeless shelter
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