Albany woman pleads guilty to stealing over $230k from elderly person
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Amber Diacetis, 30, of Albany, has pleaded guilty to stealing over $230,000 from an elderly victim. The New York State Comptroller's Office said that another defendant, Devin Zielinski, 33, was indicted for the same crime.
Law enforcement said the victim was an 86-year-old pensioner in the state who met Diacetis through an online service. Diacetis then introduced the victim to Zielinski and the two allegedly schemed to convince the victim they would become his live-in caregivers.
The victim was receiving a monthly income of $3,526 for his pension and $2,138 from Social Security when the defendants allegedly persuaded him to let them attend to his finances. Investigators said they found that the defendants did not pay any of the victim's bills for four years, leading to foreclosure on the home, repossession of the vehicle, and electricity being turned off.
The victim did not know his bills weren't being paid. The Comptroller's Office said that from January 2018 to August 2023, $338,000 in pension and Social Security were deposited into the victim's bank.
The defendants allegedly withdrew more than $230,000 from the victim's accounts. Law enforcement said that the theft caused the victim to live in a home without an operable toilet or shower and he was in need of care.
The victim was given the necessary treatment and is no longer living in that house.
Diacetis pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny and will be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025. Zielinski was charged with second-degree grand larceny, arraigned on November 8, and is due back in court on December 23.
New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, filing a complaint online, or mailing a complaint to the Office of the State Comptroller Division of Investigations on the 8th Floor at 110 State St. in Albany.
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