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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAlleged Financial Exploitation of 84-Year-Old Veteran Leads to Charging of Social Service Agency Worker |
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Click here to access the PDF version of this release.
(Miami – June 23, 2023)
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announces the arrest of 34-year-old Tashia Raymond-Stackhouse by members of the State Attorney’s Office Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Unit (EVA) for the exploitation of an eighty-four-year-old veteran who had been residing at the Camillus House for approximately three years as part of a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program intended to provide housing stability for veterans experiencing homelessness.
“It is always incredibly sad when someone sees the elderly, or the homeless, or our veterans as potentially exploitable targets. Camillus House, as an important service provider, clearly felt this way when it discovered a possible problem with one of its employees and brought it to the attention of investigators with my Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Unit,” said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “Today’s arrest is another strong statement by my office and our law enforcement community that we will not tolerate these crimes.”
Tashia Raymond-Stackhouse, an ex-Camillus house employee, had been employed as a Community Integration Specialist and was responsible for advocating for clients within this Camillus House program and assisting those clients with their housing needs. This gave Raymond-Stackhouse a position of trust which she allegedly exploited while she allegedly voluntarily helped the victim in obtaining money orders, he had indicated that he needed. Utilizing this trust, allowed Raymond-Stackhouse to appropriate over $14,000 of the victim’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) funds.
SSI funds were deposited directly into the victim’s bank account; an ATM card was his normal means of accessing those funds. Raymond-Stackhouse acquired the victim’s new ATM card when it arrived in the mail for him at the Camillus House program site, showing the victim the card and advised him she would keep it in her possession for safe keeping. This was the only existing card linked to the victim’s account. Raymond-Stackhouse also persuaded the victim to disclose the ATM card’s PIN number to her.
It was discovered that beginning in January of 2022 and continuing through August of 2022, Raymond-Stackhouse allegedly made 14 transactions from the victim’s Wells Fargo account completed via ATM withdrawals. Further investigation allegedly showed subsequent deposits to Raymond-Stackhouse’s personal bank account made on the same day. The unauthorized cash withdrawals from the victim’s account and the subsequent deposits to Raymond-Stackhouse account totaled over $10,500.
“We are grateful to the Office of the Miami Dade State Attorney for their quick and diligent investigation and subsequent arrest of a former employee after we uncovered and immediately reported what was clearly an effort to defraud an elderly and vulnerable individual under our care,” said Camillus House CEO, Hilda M. Fernandez. “As disturbing as this person’s actions are, I am confident that the important work that our employees have faithfully and selflessly provided for more than six decades to tens of thousands of needy individuals will not be undermined by the acts of this former employee whose behavior is contrary to our mission and history of service to the poor and homeless in our community. Our immediate response is indicative of our commitment to protecting the vulnerable in our care who put their trust in us.”
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For further information, please contact Terry Chavez, Public Information Officer, at (305) 547-0535 or TerryChavez@MiamiSAO.com