Home Health Aide Is Accused of Bilking Thousands From Elderly Old Greenwich Woman

A home health aide is facing charges she drained the retirement and living expenses account of an elderly Old Greenwich resident by using a credit card and bank checks to buy clothing and other items from expensive Greenwich Avenue shops, according to Greenwich Police.

Police said in a statement that suspect “over the course of approximately eight months, bilked the retirement/living expenses account of a local resident. The elderly woman’s guardian uncovered the fraud when a check written from the account bounced.”

Police said that at the time, the suspect was employed by Fairfield Family Care and was assigned as the home health care aide to the elderly victim who suffered from mild dementia and impaired judgment.

The suspect, identified as Laura M. Luzardo, 28, of Ingleside Drive, Stamford, “ingratiated herself with the elderly victim and then misdirected thousands of dollars by both bank check and credit card to her personal use,” police said in a statement.

“She purchased some expensive items, clothing from multiple shops on Greenwich Avenue,” said police spokesman Lt. Kraig Gray.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Luzardo, charging her with first-degree larceny and credit card fraud. She surrendered at police headquarters on April 22, according to the police report. A first-degree larceny charge involves a theft valued at more than $10,000, according to Connecticut General Statutes.

Luzardo is free after posting $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear May 1 in state Superior Court in Stamford.

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Greenwich Police Department photo: Laura M. Luzardo.