Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced Thursday, Feb. 13, that a Yonkers woman has been charged with stealing at least $275,000 from a 78-year-old Bronx man who was debilitated by strokes and other profound health issues. She said the defendant allegedly possessed forged documents that enabled her to access the victim’s bank account and withdraw a thousand dollars a day for about a year.

In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “The defendant allegedly exploited her elderly former co-worker, who was suffering from deteriorating physical and mental health. She allegedly used forged documents and depleted the man’s life savings. The alleged actions are callous, bordering on inhumane.”

Meanwhile, NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “This defendant, a City worker, stole from a former colleague who was elderly and in poor health by forging documents, including powers of attorney, a living will, and a healthcare proxy, to facilitate the theft of more than $275,000 from the victim, according to the charges.”

She continued, “As is also alleged, the defendant, acting with others, deprived the vulnerable victim of necessary care. The charged conduct displays a shocking disregard for the victim and a lack of basic human decency, far below the high standards we have for City employees. I thank Adult Protective Services for referring this matter to DOI and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office for its partnership in this important investigation.”

Clark said the defendant, Shameca W. Morrison, 40, of Yonkers, was arraigned Thursday on second-degree grand larceny, four counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, and first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Kim Parker. They said she is due back in court in April.

According to the investigation, between June 1, 2021, and August 2022, the defendant embezzled funds from her former co-worker at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The court heard that Morrison started allegedly stealing money after the victim had had two strokes and was showing signs of cognitive decline.

Prosecutors said the victim suffered continued deteriorating health from the effects of cancer and dementia and said the defendant allegedly made daily ATM withdrawals from the victim’s bank account of around $1,000 per day. To justify and further her conduct, they said she showed bank employees and a social worker at Adult Protective Services two forged Powers of Attorney, a forged Living Will, and a forged Healthcare Proxy.

According to court filings, Morrison, without lawful authority to do so, took physical custody of the victim from the nursing home where he had been residing, and moved him into her uncle’s home. In doing so, she allegedly deprived the victim of the financial security and physical and emotional care he required, given his disabilities and cognitive issues.

Click here to read a similar story about a Bronx nursing assistant who was sentenced to 5 years in October 2024 for stealing a paraplegic veteran’s credit card and buying personal items.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Samantha Sizemore and Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney Christopher M. Shaw of the Financial Frauds Bureau at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, under the supervision of Eugene Bykov and Pia Freedman, supervisors of the Financial Frauds Bureau, Michelle Milanes, deputy chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau, and Herman Wun, chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau, and under the overall supervision of Denise Kodjo, deputy chief of the Investigations Division, and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, chief of the Investigations Division.

Clark thanked Lorraine Ciechanowicz, principal accountant investigator, Diane Morgan, trial preparation assistant, Ellen Kolodney, elder abuse coordinator, and former Assistant District Attorney Sheryl Konigsberg for their assistance in the case. She also thanked Deputy Chief Rackets Investigator Peter Holness, and NYPD Detectives Gustavo Rosado, Jennifer Cordero, Mike Williams, and David Golson of the Bronx Districtt Attorney’s squad, under the supervision of NYPD Sgt. Louis Meade, for their work on the investigation.

Additioinally, Clark thanked the crisis case manager of BronxWorks Adult Protective Services, Monique T. Scott, Deputy Inspector General Jordan Buff of the NYC Department of Investigation’s Office of the Inspector General for DEP, supervised by Inspector General Kathryn Spota, Christopher Ryan, deputy commissioner of strategic initiatives, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella; Secretary of State for the State of New York Walter T. Mosley, and the New York State Division of Licensing Services.

The defendant is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.