Comfort Keepers franchise employee Tammy M. Sainato pleaded guilty to charges of stealing more than $32,000 from a 79-year-old man in her care, according to a story in the Gloucester Times.
Police began the investigation after receiving a call from Sainato’s supervisor at Comfort Keepers, who indicated that the victim’s daughter had discovered irregularities in her father’s bank accounts including a $10,000 Sainato cashed on Nov. 11, 2009.
Sainato reportedly told police that her elderly patient gave her the check after he overheard her talking on the phone about her financial hardships. The man denied giving her the check.
According to the article, Sainato admitted to police that she had forged three checks totaling $6,200 between Dec. 27, 2009, and April 1, 2010, but denied making three withdrawals totaling $16,000 during the same period.
Tammy M. Sainato blamed her ”serious” financial problems, and her husband’s unemployment, for her actions.
She was charged with five counts each of larceny from a person over 65, uttering a false check, and forgery of a check.
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After pleading guilty to the charges, Sainato was put on probation until Feb. 24, 2015, and ordered to pay the victims $10,000 restitution. The judge also ordered Sainato to stay away and have no contact with the victim and his family, and not to engage, either as an employee or volunteer, in caring for any handicapped or elderly people.
The judge stated that the $10,000 restitution order does not prohibit the family from being able to pursue further restitution through civil court.
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