by Malcolm Shields
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie woman is facing another allegation of defrauding an elderly person.
According to Palm Beach County court records, Megan
E. Bernat, 46, was arrested on Wednesday, July 22, on exploitation of
elderly and money laundering transactions charges.
Bernat
was arrested on Sept. 3, 2025, on charges of personal identity fraud,
exploitation of an elderly person and money laundering transactions of a
73-year-old woman in West Palm Beach.
 |
| Megan Elizabeth Bernat |
During the West Palm Beach Police Department’s
investigation into the 2025 case, it was discovered that another bank
account was used to make more than $30,000 worth of payments to Bernat’s
credit card.
The account was frozen by the bank, which prevented the account’s use.
Detectives
determined the frozen account belonged to a 92-year-old man who lived
at the MorseLife assisted living facility in West Palm Beach along with
the first victim.
Bernat was a social worker at
the living facility, and she was assigned as the second victim's
full-time care manager beginning on Dec. 30, 2021.
She assisted with the second victim's financial records.
During
that time, the second victim suffered from 18 medical problems
including dementia and needed help with routine tasks like laundry,
getting dressed and going to the restroom.
According to the arrest report, the second victim died on March 15, 2024, about two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.
Detectives
determined that the second victim’s bank account was used 30 times to
make mobile payments to a credit card account connected to Bernat.
An
investigation also revealed Bernat’s credit card was part of 30
transactions totaling $31,295.28 between May 11, 2023, and April 22,
2024.
Seven of the 30 transactions occurred
while the second victim was in hospice, including six transactions after
he died on March 15, 2024.
During a Thursday, July 23 court hearing, a judge ordered Bernat to
serve in-house arrest, wear a GPS monitor with bail set at $30,000.
Full Article & Source:
Woman accused of exploiting ailing elderly man at West Palm Beach assisted living facility
