Home Caregiver Made Unauthorized Withdrawals from Elderly Client's Bank: Prosecutor

A caregiver has been accused of making unauthorized withdrawals from her elderly client’s bank account without her permission, prosecutors said in bond court on Wednesday.

Cynthia Peoples, 50, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a charge of financial exploitation of an elderly person during a bond hearing in Bridgeview.

According to the charges, between June 26 and July 27, Peoples made eight withdrawals from her 89-year-old client’s bank in Orland Park amounting to $1,900.

Prosecutors said that bank security video showed Peoples making the withdrawals. The elderly woman denied giving Peoples permission to take money from her account.

When contacted by investigators on Sept. 1, Peoples said that she did have the client’s permission to make the withdrawals.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Peoples was employed by Shay Health Care and Nursing Services out of Oak Forest and had worked with the client in Orland Park for two years.

“She says she has permission to make withdrawals,” the assistant public defender said.

Bail was set at $10,000. Peoples’ next court hearing is September 17.