Fort Myers man arrested for exploiting elderly Palm Beach County couple

A man who was arrested during a suspected hazmat situation was wanted on the east coast for exploiting the elderly.

Police arrested David Del Rio, 35, after raiding his Fort Myers home last Thursday.

As the William and Elizabeth Cabral’s “financial adviser,” they trusted Del Rio with their money, approximately $900,000 worth according to police reports.

Palm Beach County police say Del Rio even signed on as their power of attorney and beneficiary before investigators say he started taking their money.

Then Elizabeth Cabral, 84, was found dead in her Palm Beach County condo.

The money belonging to the Cabral’s was traced back to Del Rio who spent the money on things like a car, cruise and guns.

Neighbors are shocked.

“I’ve literally been to his house,” said his neighbor Tyler Gould. “So it’s really a shock to see that somebody so nice could do something so terrible.”

Police say that from September 2016 to March of this year, Del Rio wrote checks, sometimes $100,000 at a time to himself in the Cabral’s names, even after William Cabral died last year.

Elizabeth Cabral’s neighbor said that she had a lot of people in and out taking care of her.

Then on April 30, Elizabeth was found stabbed to death in her home.

Investigators say Del Rio deposited his last check in her name just six weeks before her death.

Del Rio is not charged in the death of Elizabeth Cabral. He is currently charged for 28 other felonies in Palm Beach County and being held on $28,000 bond in Palm Beach County.

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Fort Myers man arrested for exploiting elderly Palm Beach County couple

Power of attorney accused of bilking elderly couple out of $900K

HIGHLAND BEACH, Fla. — A man who gained the trust of an elderly couple, the wife later found murdered, is accused of exploiting them after nearly $900,000 was withdrawn from their accounts, according to a probable cause affidavit.

William and Elizabeth Cabral retired to Palm Beach County, Florida and were befriended by David Del Rio, 35, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, at the bank where they transferred their funds, the affidavit said.

William Cabral was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and died in April 2017.

Elizabeth Cabral, 85, was killed in her Penthouse Highlands condo on April 30, 2018, deputies said.

While examining her banking records, it was discovered that a large amount of cash had been removed from the Cabral’s accounts between 2014 and 2018, the affidavit said.

Investigators allege Del Rio, while acting under a power of attorney, breached his fiduciary duty by making financial transactions via check in the Cabral’s name into an account under his control.

They say approximately $893,673.08 was withdrawn from William and Elizabeth Cabral’s SunTrust account and their Bank of America account via 16 checks and deposited into an account set up by Del Rio.

The money was used to pay for more than 405 personal transactions including a 2017 Audi A sedan, utility payments, home improvements, firearms, suppressors, firearms equipment and payments to Royal Caribbean Cruise line, the affidavit states.

Del Rio was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and faces charges of exploitation of the elderly, money laundering, organized scheme to defraud fraudulent use of personal ID and grand theft.

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Power of attorney accused of bilking elderly couple out of $900K