Theft

November 29, 2015

Florida Woman Gets House Arrest for $240k Social Security Fraud

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Social Security fraud is addressed under federal statutes – specifically, 42 U.S.C. 1383a. In part, the law defines fraud as having knowledge of the occurrence of any event that would affect one’s initial or continued right to any such benefit or the initial or continued right to any such benefit of any other individual in whose behalf or she applied for or received the benefits, along with a failure to disclose it.

Violation of this law carries a maximum five years in prison, plus an order for restitution.

Despite this, a Deerfield Beach woman who allegedly committed Social Security fraud for more than three decades was sentenced to house arrest, probation, community service and restitution. This was after defendant Claudia Carpenter, 60, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of government funds. The Sun-Sentinel reported Carpenter admitted to the court when entering her plea that she failed to tell the Social Security Administration when her mother died in 1984. Instead, she continued collecting her mother’s disability checks – about $900 each month – which were automatically deposited to their joint bank accounts. Years later, she started taking the money out of automatic teller machines. Continue reading

November 3, 2015

Employee Theft in Fort Lauderdale Alleged by YOLO Restaurant

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

YOLO is a popular Fort Lauderdale restaurant named after the mantra that, “You Only Live Once.” But a former bookkeeper at the downtown hot spot may have taken those words too closely to heart.

According to a report by The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 52-year-old Joanne Purstell of Oakland Park has been arrested on grand theft charges after management accused her of stealing nearly $350,000 of the restaurant’s money.

Purstell, who reportedly has no prior criminal record, was in charge of managing tip shares, balancing cash receipts and making deposits of cash and credit card payments for the East Las Olas Boulevard restaurant. But Fort Lauderdale police investigators assert that between 2012 to 2015, Purstell failed to deposit nearly $350,000 into restaurant bank accounts.

October 29, 2015

Theft Charges for Broward Bailiff Following Wife’s Conviction

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

A bailiff for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office was taken into custody by his own agency after prosecutors say the 33-year-old civilian employee freely spent money he knew was stolen by his now ex-wife.

His former wife, who worked at a perfume store in Pembroke Pines as a clerk,was convicted of grand theft charges after authorities accused her of writing 119 checks totaling more than $405,000. She would later tell authorities her husband became aware of the thefts after the third or fourth transaction. She co-mingled the checks with their paychecks in their joint personal and business account.She said her husband told her simply to “Be careful.”

Last month, she was sentenced to five years in prison. And just a few days ago, she and her husband finalized their divorce.

But it’s not over for Steve Palacios, who allegedly spent the money on:
–Furniture
–A Cadillac
–Rent
–Restaurant visits
–Personal grooming
–Tires and rims for his truck ($6,000 total)
–Truck loan ($5,900)
–Lifetime fishing license ($1,000)
–Medical bills for a parent – ($4,000)
–Three guns ($1,310)
–Business expenses ($14,000)
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July 23, 2015

South Florida Embezzlement Arrests After $80k Stolen

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Two insurance underwriting company employees were arrested in Hollywood, accused of embezzling at least $25,000 but possibly as much as $80,000 from the firm.

The workers, age 31 and 41, are accused of taking some customer’s monthly cash premiums and pocketing them, while at the same time recording the payment was made to the business.

Problems arose, however, when deposits fell short of the recorded amounts. One woman is accused of taking $16,000 and another $7,000. Another $1,700 was paid by a customer to one of the women, though he could not remember which. Detectives say the investigation is ongoing, and it’s probable more charges will be filed as more information becomes available.
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