Bloomfield Township caretaker charged with identity theft, financial exploitation of elderly woman

by Brandon Carr

Marivelis Serrano (WDIV)

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Marivelis Serrano, the accused, is facing an 18-count felony warrant, including a significant charge of embezzlement of $100,000 or more, 12 counts of uttering and publishing, and five counts of identity theft.

Court documents said the Bloomfield Township Police Department was alerted to the financial exploitation of the 85-year-old woman on Jan. 16, 2024.

Officials said they launched an investigation and uncovered that Serrano, 48, from Pontiac, had stolen $160,000 from the victim and transferred the funds to her own accounts.

Police said the 48-year-old woman spent thousands of dollars on online gambling platforms.

Officials say they also discovered that Serrano had illegally used the 85-year-old woman’s debit card to buy thousands of dollars worth of goods, including $6,200 in Amazon purchases and $3,600 in Instacart purchases.

Serrano was employed by the victim and trusted as her caretaker. Her job included house cleaning, transportation, and assistance with other day-to-day tasks.

Officials say Serrano surrendered to the 48th District Court, and at her arraignment, she was given a $50,000 cash surety or 10% bond.

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Bloomfield Township caretaker charged with identity theft, financial exploitation of elderly woman