Doorman near Columbia University charged with defrauding 91-year-old former resident in nursing home.
In a shocking case of embezzlement, Alfredo Mateo, a doorman at an Upper Manhattan building, has been charged with stealing $477,685 from a retired schoolteacher who had moved to a nursing home and later passed away. The Manhattan district attorney’s office revealed that Mateo had taken advantage of his position to pilfer 26 checks from the elderly woman, writing them to himself from her bank account with false explanations in the memo line.
Alvin L. Bragg, the district attorney, emphasized that individuals who exploit their access to vulnerable community members and defraud hardworking individuals will face legal consequences. Mateo, 38, has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including grand larceny, fraud, and identity theft.
The retired schoolteacher’s husband continued to reside in their apartment after she moved to the nursing home until his death in September 2022. Shortly after his passing, Mateo allegedly began depositing the stolen checks into his personal account. Additionally, he redirected a $3,000 check from the deceased husband’s account to himself and intercepted several pension checks intended for the deceased teacher.
Further investigations revealed that Mateo obtained the teacher’s personal information from a document sent by the Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York. He used this data to access funds from an annuity and attempted to alter the direct deposit details to divert future payments into his own account. In a bizarre twist, Mateo even impersonated the 91-year-old woman in a call to the retirement system, trying to modify her membership information by changing the listed phone number.
Hailing from Yonkers, New York, Mateo had been employed as a doorman at 380 Riverside Drive for approximately five years. Despite his friendly demeanor and rapport with tenants and colleagues, his alleged actions have stunned the community. Residents of the building, accustomed to interacting closely with their doormen, expressed disbelief at the news.
Marcia Hurst, a long-time resident, highlighted the unique bond between the tenants and doormen at the building. She noted that in New York City, doormen often become familiar with residents’ personal lives and trusted them to maintain strict confidentiality. Hurst shared that the community at 380 Riverside Drive had a special relationship with Mateo, describing him as a trusted figure who had never crossed any boundaries.
The case serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of safeguarding personal information and remaining vigilant against potential fraud schemes. It underscores the need for individuals and organizations to implement robust security measures to protect against financial exploitation and identity theft. The legal proceedings against Mateo underscore the serious consequences of financial crimes and the commitment of law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable.
Source: The NY Times
