June 30, 1999

HOME HEALTH CARE WORKER CHARGED WITH STEALING OVER $12,000 FROM ELDERLY HOWARD BEACH RESIDENT

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of a home health care aide on charges of stealing over $12,000 from a 78 year old Howard Beach woman for whom she was working.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Zhanneta Aquinaga, 50, of 45 Magnolia Boulevard, Long Beach. She is charged with grand larceny, scheme to defraud and falsifying business records. If convicted of the charges, the defendant faces up to seven years in prison.

According to the District Attorney, during March and April of this year the defendant allegedly stole Maryland Bank of North America convenience checks belonging to the 78 year old woman for whom she worked as a home health care aide. The defendant allegedly made out two checks, one to cash for $4,956 which she allegedly deposited in her own account and one for $500 which she allegedly sent to one of her credit card creditors, Providian Bancorp. It is also charged that during the same period the defendant stole transfer checks issued to the victim by Discover, Inc. and allegedly wrote three checks totaling $6659, two of which she deposited into her own account and one which was used to pay her Bell Atlantic telephone bill.

The defendant was arrested yesterday by Detectives Joanne Karmel and Buddy Lasala, under the supervision of Sgt's. Frank Russo and Diana Coyne and the overall supervision of Captain Harold Knorr of the District Attorney's Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Rosemary Buccheri of the District Attorney's Economic Crimes Bureau under the supervision of Michael J. Mansfield and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander.

It should be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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