A Deerfield Beach woman is accused of stealing “thousands of dollars” from senior citizens while posing as a home caregiver, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Jamisha Shamari Sylvain, 26, faces multiple charges including unarmed burglary of an occupied building, elderly exploitation, criminal use of personal identification information, theft of a financial card and grand theft against people aged 65 or older.
The investigation unfolded in October after the Sheriff’s Office received a complaint that an elderly man who also lives in Deerfield Beach was being exploited by an unidentified woman.
“The woman posed as a caregiver at the B’nai B’rith apartments in Deerfield Beach,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “According to detectives, the elderly male victim let her into his apartment where the woman accessed his bank card. She withdrew money from his account multiple times totaling $1,600.”
The 72-year-old man has dementia, according to the case file in Broward Circuit Court.
ATM withdrawals
Court files show Sylvain allegedly made four electronic withdrawals — one on Oct. 1 and three on Oct. 3 — totaling $1,620 from the man’s Bank of America account on South Federal Highway in Deerfield Beach. The ATM transactions were recorded on video.
Investigators later learned of “several other similar incidents” involving victims “where Sylvain pretended to be a professional caregiver and convinced the vulnerable victims that she was authorized to enter their apartments.
“In some cases, she pretended to be a new caregiver assigned by the victim’s health insurance company,” the statement said. “While inside their apartments, she stole their debit cards and told them she needed their personal banking information.”
On Nov. 21, a warrant was issued for her arrest, according to court files.
On Dec. 19, detectives assigned to the BSO’s Deerfield Beach district arrested Sylvain and booked her into the Broward Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale. Before her arrest outside a Best Western Hotel, she allegedly tried to escape from police, which resulted in a resisting arrest charge, records show.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Sylvain was still in jail after a judge set her bond at $108,000 and ordered pretrial supervision that requires her to wear an electronic monitor and reside in a pre-approved residence. In addition, she is not to contact her alleged victim or go near his residence. She is also barred from contacting anyone over the age of 65 or anyone who is disabled.
Detectives said they are continuing to look for more victims.
“Investigators believe there may be additional victims and are asking anyone with information to come forward,” the BSO statement said.
Advice for seniors
The agency also advised senior citizens and their friends and relatives to be vigilant against individuals who masquerade as caregivers.
It offered the following tips:
• Verify caregiver and aids: Always confirm identity, credential and references before allowing anyone access to your home or finances.
• Regularly monitor financial accounts: Review bank statements and credit reports for unfamiliar changes.
• Involve a trusted friend or family member: Before giving out financial information, ask a friend or family member if the request or situation seems suspicious.
• Report it early: The sooner suspicious activity is reported, the more likely losses can be stopped.
If you live in a BSO jurisdiction and know of someone who is a victim of a similar scheme, call 954-764-4357.
