Caregiver accused of stealing $37K worth of jewelry from 83-year-old woman

By Lydian Coombs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A Memphis caregiver is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry from her elderly patient.

Jasmine Durham, 32, is charged with felony property theft and financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person.

On December 12, 2025, the Memphis Police Department responded to a call about expensive jewelry that disappeared from the apartment of an 83-year-old woman living at Trezevant Manor Assisted Living Facility on Highland Street.

The woman told police that she requires a caregiver due to her declining health.

The woman’s family hired Durham as her caregiver on September 19, 2025.

The victim told police that during Durham’s nearly three-month tenure, seven pieces of jewelry valued at $37,857 came up missing.

Two weeks after the police were called, an investigator discovered via online records that Durham had pawned rings in late October.

Investigators later learned that she sold several pieces of jewelry to local pawn shops on October 24 and again on December 9.

A total of four rings were recovered during the investigation.

Durham was booked into the Shelby County Jail on Monday.

She’s being held behind bars on a $3,500 bond. 

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Caregiver accused of stealing $37K worth of jewelry from 83-year-old woman 

Pennsylvania caregiver accused of stealing money, jewelry from elderly clients

Nicole Daley, of Palmer Township, has been arrested and charged following an investigation regarding alleged financial elder abuse, according to the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office.

By Cherise Lynch

A Pennsylvania caregiver was arrested after officials said she stole money and jewelry from several elderly clients.

Nicole Daley, of Palmer Township, has been arrested and charged following an investigation regarding alleged financial elder abuse involving three victims aged 90, 88, and 84 years old, according to the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office.

Officials said on November 10, 2025, Bethlehem Township Police were called to the area of Hope Ridge Drive in Bethlehem Township for a reported theft involving a 90-year-old victim.

Upon arrival, officials said police were advised that multiple checks were made payable to Daley's husband. From July through September of this year, Daley was the at-home care assistant for this 90-year-old victim.

Officials said that there were 11 checks totaling $6,700, all of which contained the forged signature of the 90-year-old victim.

Additionally, officials shared that Daley made unauthorized purchases using the 90-year-old victim’s credit card. The unauthorized purchases totaled over $2,000. Daley also stole $5,000 in crash from the victim.

In addition to the money, officials said an investigation also revealed that Daley stole multiple pieces of the victim’s jewelry. 

Officials said that police also found out that Daley provided in-home care services for two additional elderly women, aged 84 and 88. These victims reported to police that jewelry was stolen from their homes during the period of time in which Daley was providing care to them.

The police investigation led to a pawn shop located in Nazareth, according to officials. The pawn shop owner informed police that Daley visited the shop 10 times between September and October and sold numerous pieces of jewelry.

Officials said Daley collected $5,395 from the sale of the jewelry.

The investigation determined that Daley was selling the jewelry she stole from the three elderly victims. Some of the stolen and sold jewelry included class rings, including a 1948 Easton class ring.

The stolen jewelry could not be recovered, officials said.

Daley was charged with forgery, access device fraud, three counts of theft by unlawful taking, financial exploitation of older audult or care dependant person and three counts of receiving stolen property, following an investigation, according to officials.

Daley was remanded to Northampton County Prison in lieu of 100,000 bail. 

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Pennsylvania caregiver accused of stealing money, jewelry from elderly clients 

Philly caregiver accused of stealing $5K from 3 clients in Montco

By Briana Smith

AMBLER, Pa. (WPVI) -- Montgomery Township police are looking for 36-year-old Kavena Stover of Philadelphia, who was charged with financial exploitation of an older adult and other related charges.

Detectives say she allegedly stole $5,000 from three victims while working as a caregiver in Montgomery County.

"I gave her the key," said 95-year-old David Porinchak of Ambler, Pa. "I gave her the combination to the garage. In terms of trust, there was no reason not to trust her."

Porinchak says he depended on Stover as a caregiver last year.

Porinchak says she assisted him with physical therapy, drove him to doctors' appointments, and maintained his home in Ambler.

"At 94, it was important to have somebody here," said Porinchak.

But Porinchak says that suddenly, Stover stopped showing up. Months later, police notified Porinchak about her charges.

"Very, very disappointed," said Porinchak. "To do that not only for me, but for others to take advantage of elderly people."

Detective Todd Walter says Stover allegedly committed the crimes while working for two home care agencies in Lower Merion from September 2024 through January 2025.

The other two victims are 66 years old and 88 years old. 

"They put their money away for their golden years, and now someone is coming and taking it from them," said Detective Walter. "I find that troubling."

Detective Walter says Stover allegedly used their credit cards to pay rent at a Philadelphia property, for car rentals and insurance, groceries and tickets at Thrillz in King of Prussia.

"She's the one who is supposed to be a trusted person, going into these people's houses and taking care of them, and she's exploiting them," said Detective Walter.

Detective Walter advises loved ones to monitor their elderly family members' finances and verify who enters their home. He also provided tips to the agencies on how to vet applicants before hiring.

As Porinchak prepares to celebrate his 96th birthday on Friday, he says honesty is the best policy, and he would like to sit down with Stover.

"Try to get her reasons for this," said Porinchak. "Why she would act like this, and what could be done somehow to make restitution, perhaps?"

Stover responded by phone, saying she did not commit any of these crimes and has no further comment.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact police at 215-362-2301. 

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Philly caregiver accused of stealing $5K from 3 clients in Montco

Caregiver accused of stealing $82K worth of jewelry from Cordova home, sheriff's office says

CORDOVA, Tenn. - A woman providing care for an elderly couple in Cordova stole more than $82,000 worth of jewelry from their home, according to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO). 

The sheriff's office accused 22-year-old Corine Mukes, an employee of a Mid-South in-home care company, of stealing multiple pieces of valuable jewelry between July 4 and July 11. 

Detectives recovered some of that jewelry from Cash America pawn shop locations, where they claim Mukes pawned the stolen goods. Authorities found even more of the stolen jewelry when they served a search warrant at Mukes home on North Watkins and found the 22-year-old hiding inside of the house, SCSO said. 

Mukes faces charges including theft of property between $60,000 and $250,000 and financial exploitation of an elderly person.  

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Caregiver accused of stealing $82K worth of jewelry from Cordova home, sheriff's office says 

Housekeeper Turned Caregiver Accused of Stealing Over $205K from Elderly Victim

St. Petersburg detectives have arrested Delorse Boyd, 65, on charges of 1st Degree Elderly Exploitation after allegedly stealing approximately $205,762.60 from a disabled, wheelchair-bound elderly victim over several years.

The victim, who was 79 years old when the exploitation began, initially hired Boyd as a housekeeper. After undergoing surgery, the victim hired 24/7 home healthcare services and no longer required Boyd’s cleaning assistance. Boyd then took on responsibilities such as grocery shopping, bill payments, and picking up medications for the victim. Boyd was entrusted with the victim’s credit cards and checkbook during this time.

Between July 7, 2017, and September 1, 2021, Boyd allegedly wrote 176 unauthorized checks, using the funds to withdraw cash, make deposits into her own account, and pay personal bills. She also used the victim’s credit card for purchases totaling $20,045.58, including appliances, utility bills, ride-shares, phone bills, online orders, and travel expenses.

Investigators discovered that Boyd even wrote a $3,517.02 check from the victim’s account to the Pinellas County Clerk of Court to settle her own criminal and traffic offenses, including fines and tickets.

The financial exploitation was uncovered when the victim’s bank noticed suspicious transactions and reported them to law enforcement. The victim, now approximately 83 years old, suffered the theft of a significant portion of her finances during her vulnerable years.

St. Petersburg Economic Crimes detectives emphasize the importance of protecting oneself or loved ones from elderly financial exploitation. They provided these tips:

• Carefully select and appoint a Power of Attorney.
• Consult a trusted advisor before making financial decisions.
• Regularly check credit reports and review financial statements, especially for joint accounts.

The investigation remains ongoing as Boyd faces prosecution for her actions.

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Housekeeper Turned Caregiver Accused of Stealing Over $205K from Elderly Victim

Caregiver Accused Of Stealing More Than $14,000 From Victim: Cops

by Skyla Luckey

POLK COUNTY, FL — A caregiver stole more than $14,000 from the 80-year-old woman she cared for in Poinciana from 2019 to 2021, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Donnitta Jean Vaughn, 56, of Kissimmee was arrested on charges of criminal use of personal ID of a person over 60-years-old, exploitation of the elderly, fraudulent use of credit cards, obtaining property by fraud and grand theft.

Vaughn is in the Polk County Jail being held on $18,000 bond, deputies said. 

She detectives she felt she wasn't getting paid enough, and knew the victim did not have the mental capacity to give permission for an increased salary, so she began using the victim's credit cards to pay her bills and purchase other items, the sheriff's office said.

Donnitta Jean Vaughn, 56, of Kissimmee is accused of using an 80-year-old woman's credit cards to purchase personal products. (Polk Count Sheriff's Office)

Vaughn, a licensed certified nursing assistant (CNA), had been making $720 a week as the victim's caregiver. After a doctor's visit in December 2019, it was determined that the victim would not be able to make decisions pertaining to healthcare, finances or housing matters, deputies said.

A friend of the victim's, who had power-of-attorney, saw that one of her credit cards was missing at the beginning of 2021. This alerted the friend to review charges on the victim's credit card statement. Several fraudulent charges were shown on the statement, and unknown activity appeared on the victim's credit report, the sheriff's office said.

Vaughn is accused by investigators of receiving $4,868 more than her salary following a review of bank statements and credit reports. Payments were also made to Duke Energy that were credited to Vaughn's house account, deputies said.

Three credit cards belonging to the victim had been used by Vaughn to purchase clothing, cosmetics, bath, food and childcare fees, according to authorities.

"Licensed medical professionals are entrusted with caring for and protecting people during their most vulnerable moments," Sheriff Grady Judd. "Instead of caring for the victim, Vaughn took advantage of her situation and stole thousands of dollars from her. Thankfully, the victim's friend called us right away, and we will do everything in our power to ensure Vaughn is held accountable."

 

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Caregiver Accused Of Stealing More Than $14,000 From Victim: Cops

‘It’s sad:’ Dementia leads to dropped charge against caregiver accused of stealing $17K

FRANKLIN — Stealing from the elderly is a growing problem across Wisconsin, and the FOX6 Investigators found caregivers suspected of financially abusing their elderly clients sometimes go unpunished.

Franklin police said they had a "tight case" against a personal care worker accused of fraud, until something happened that derailed it. It is something millions of Americans face that makes them especially vulnerable to financial exploitation.

When Grace Rutkowski arrived to chat with Franklin police in summer 2018, she still had a sharp sense of humor.

"Oh, she's good looking," Rutkowski said as Detective Steven Horn held out a cellphone picture of his wife. "How'd you get her?"

Horn recorded the interview as evidence that the 83-year-old alleged fraud victim was competent.

"How do you feel about this money being taken out of your account?" Horn asked in the recording.

"I don't like it," Rutkowski replied.

"She was able to answer the questions very clearly," said Captain Craig Liermann, Horn's boss.

This was the second time police had interviewed Rutkowski and, this time, it was the final piece of a nearly 18-month investigation into Nicole McAtee.

In September 2018, prosecutors charged McAtee with a felony for allegedly stealing more than $17,000 from her elderly client.

The FOX6 Investigators first met McAtee at a south side gas station.

"You were charged with theft," said Bryan Polcyn, FOX6 Investigator.

"No, I wasn't charged," McAtee said.

"You were charged. I have the records," Polcyn said.

She just happened to be standing at the very ATM police said she had used to defraud Rutkowski.

"How'd you know it was me?" McAtee asked.

Polcyn gave McAtee his business card and a one-week deadline to call back and set up an interview so she could provide her side of the story. She promised to call but never did. That is, until two days before the story was set to be broadcast when McAtee's face started appearing in on-air promotions.

"This lady had a spending habit," McAtee said.

McAtee was hired in September 2016 by Visiting Angels, an independently-owned** home care franchise in Milwaukee that assigned her to care for Rutkowski at her Greendale apartment.

"How long after you met her did you get her debit card?" Polcyn asked.

"A year?" McAtee said while twisting her face with apparent uncertainty.

"A year,"  Polcyn repeated.

"Maybe six months to a year," McAtee said.

Actually, police the said the same month McAtee starting caring for Rutkowski, there was a "dramatic increase in debit card purchases and cash withdrawals" on Rutkowski's bank account.

"Why did she have your debit card?" Horn asked Rutkowski.

"Because when I needed some clothes and that from Walmart," Rutkowski said.

Surveillance video from Walmart showed McAtee stocking up on everything from Gatorade and Easter candy, to laundry soap and a stack of DVD movies, and then using Rutkowski's debit card to pay for it.

"Did you take that to her?" Polcyn asked.

"Yeah. Everything we bought was taken to Grace," McAtee said.

Police reports indicated Rutkowski never saw any of it.

"Did she have permission to buy things for herself with the card?" Horn said.

"No," Rutkowski said.

"No, okay. So that was, it was strictly set up for..."  Horn said.

"For me," Rutkowski said.

Records showed McAtee repeatedly used the card at an ATM just blocks from her own apartment and nowhere near Rutkowski's.

"I would grab the money here and then go to her house," McAtee said.

Four months after they first met, Rutkowski signed documents making McAtee her power of attorney. That meant McAtee had complete legal control over all of the elderly woman's finances.

"She said, 'Would you like to be my POA?' and I said, 'Grace, I don't know what that is,'" McAtee recalled.

"But why would you say yes to that if you don't know what that is?" Polcyn asked.

"'Cause she didn't have family," McAtee said.

"Why did you do that?" Horn asked in the recorded interview with Rutkowski.

"Because I didn't have one and I needed one," Rutkowski said.

"She clearly established a relationship, developed a trust, and then took advantage of that trust," Liermann said.

Visiting Angels told police the POA agreement was "against company policy."

Days after they learned of it, McAtee stopped coming to work. Visiting Angels officials said she was "terminated," but for a different reason.

That same month, April 2017, Rutkowski moved to Lake Pointe Manor in Franklin, but for another full year, police said, McAtee kept her debit card, kept the power of attorney, and kept on spending Rutkowski's money.

What she failed to do was live up to her duty as POA in paying for Rutkowski's room and board. By April 2018, Rutkowski was 10 months behind in payments and owed nearly $8,000 to Lake Pointe Manor.

"Financial exploitation is a crime of opportunity and greed," said Doreen Goetsch, coordinator of Adult Protective Services for the Wisconsin Department of Health.

In 2018, Goetsch said agencies across the state took nearly 9,000 calls about elder abuse, with 20% of those calls involving some form of financial exploitation.

"These are crimes against our frail elderly, and we need to prosecute these cases," Goetsch said.

Juanita Woods stole rings from a dementia patient in West Allis.

Elizabeth Reda filled garbage bags full of residents' valuables in Burlington.

Ratravion Wade repeatedly pressured a group home resident in Racine to loan him money.

Then, there's Tenisha Ivy, who claimed to have found an assisted living client's debit card on the ground.

"I just figured, 'Oh, this is a card. I can use this. I mean, I'm not using my money,'" Ivy said in a recorded police interview.

She then proceeded to use the card at restaurants, bars, and gas stations.

"Yeah, I probably done used it to see if it worked or somethin' like that," Ivy said.

"But that is stealing," said a Milwaukee police detective. "Why would you use it if it`s not yours to see if it worked?"

"You're right. You can't put that any other way but stealing," Ivy said.

Woods, Reda, Wade, and Ivy were all found guilty of crimes and flagged on the state's caregiver misconduct registry, but Goetsch said that is the exception, not the rule.

"People are reluctant to report. They are often ashamed. They are embarrassed. They don't know who to tell," Goetsch said.

Even when they do, she said, police often treat it as a civil offense and prosecutors are hesitant to charge.

"Because the person has dementia," Goetsch said.

As McAtee's case languished in court for nearly a year, Rutkowski's health declined.

"Sometimes you get things mixed up," Rutkowski said.

Prosecutors eventually determined that progressive dementia had made her an unreliable witness, so they dismissed the case.

"The very kind of person she took advantage of was someone who was in failing health," Polcyn said.

"Correct. It worked to her advantage, unfortunately," Liermann said.

"That's not the case," McAtee said. "I was there for her."

The former caregiver said she is the real victim.

"I can't pursue nothing I want to do with my career or further myself, because of this," she said. "I did what I could for this lady,a nd for everybody to put me out there like I'm a bad person? I'm only guilty of taking care of an elderly that did not have anybody. That's the only thing I'm guilty of."

That's true. Because prosecutors dismissed the case, Nicole McAtee is not guilty of a crime, but Franklin police said they still want you to know who she is just in case she ever comes to care for someone you love.

"It's sad," Liermann said.

In Wisconsin, registered nurses, CNAs, and LPNs are all regulated by the Office of Caregiver Quality, which tracks allegations of abuse, but Nicole McAtee was not a CNA or LPN. She was a "personal care worker," meaning she helped with meal prep, bathing, cleaning, and so on.

Personal care workers are not required to be licensed and, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, they are not tracked or regulated.

In other words, theoretically, she could get another job as a personal care worker, assuming someone would hire her.

If you want to protect someone you love from elder financial abuse, DHS recommends you keep a close eye on their accounts. If you can, register for email or text notifications whenever there's a withdrawal or debit on the account.

If you suspect abuse of any kind, call your local county's elder adults-at-risk helpline. There is one for every county in Wisconsin. CLICK HERE to learn more.

**Visiting Angels is a national network of home care agencies with franchises that are independently owned and operated. This case involved a caregiver hired by the Milwaukee office of Visiting Angels, managed locally by Angela Sanchez. In a voicemail left for the FOX6 Investigators, Sanchez indicated that Nicole McAtee was "terminated," but not for obtaining Power of Attorney over Rutkowski. Sanchez said she was unaware of the POA until shortly before McAtee's employment ended.

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‘It’s sad:’ Dementia leads to dropped charge against caregiver accused of stealing $17K