Elderly Cuban woman loses her house after being scammed by her caregiver in Miami

A Cuban woman who worked as a health care assistant in Little Havana, Miami, was arrested this Tuesday after it was discovered that she was taking advantage of an elderly woman she was caring for, who was also of Cuban origin.

The accused, Dahamara Cuervo Alonso, transferred to her name the ownership of the condominium in which the elderly woman, 86, and her disabled son, 51, live.

According to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, Cuervo Alonso had been hired as a health care assistant to care for the elderly woman, who suffers from advanced cognitive problems; and his son, who has a series of medical conditions that substantially limit his mobility.

Cuervo Alonso routinely requested that her clients sign documents verifying the hours she had worked, which is a common practice in the home health care industry, and used this to carry out the scam.

The documents they were given to sign were always in English, but the victims could only speak and read Spanish. In this way they ended up one day signing the expropriation of their own home.

“He completely deceived me, he put me from behind to front”lamented the old woman, named María del Carmen, in statements toTelemundo 51.

“I spent a few days very bad, very bad, a bad person, ill-intentioned. I opened my doors to you. “I was honest with her,” added the octogenarian.

“Imagine, so many years here, so much sacrifice and me being on the street, I don't understand, I don't understand”, concluded the older adult.

But how did they realize the trap?

In August 2023, the old woman's son saw a video onYouTube a video about a false deed of resignation (quit claim deed) made without the owner's knowledge.

After watching the video, the man reviewed the informationonline of the condominium and discovered that his house was in the name of Cuervo Alonso.

According to the data reflected there,the right to the property had been transferred for only $100.

“She made her sign something that she shouldn't have signed, but I discovered it,” says the old woman's son, who adds that the woman continues to fight around the house and saying that it is hers and that they signed legally.

In the placeonline, Dahamara Cuervo Alonso is still listed as the current owner of the apartment.

The Cuban, who lives in Miami Gardens, was arrested this Tuesday by the Elderly and Vulnerable Adults Unit of the prosecutor's office. on charges of grand theft over $100,000, exploitation of an elderly person and organized scheme to defraud over $50,000.

"The fraudulent transfer of ownership of an 86-year-old woman's condominium was not only the theft of her home, but also the theft of the home of her 51-year-old disabled son who lived with her," said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez. Rundle in the statement.

"Cuervo Alonso took advantage of his position as a trusted person who provided them with health services to illegally deceive them and make them sign a document that they did not understand," the press release added.

The case remains in the hands of the authorities, but mother and son fear the worst.

The arrested Cuban woman was given bail of $45,000. Until the closing of this note, she remains detained in the TGK prison.