Caregiver accused of bilking money

By Denise Dick

The woman is accused of taking more than $40,000 from the disabled victim.

BOARDMAN — A 42-year-old Youngstown woman faces several charges, accused of using the bank card of a disabled man for whom she was a caregiver to withdraw and pocket his money.

Shelly Mastropietro of Cambridge Avenue was charged with misuse of a credit card, forgery and two counts of receiving stolen property. Township police arrested her Wednesday and she was released upon posting bond at the Mahoning County Jail.

Detective Ben Switka said Mastropietro was a caregiver for a 55-year-old township man who is disabled. She is accused of using his Visa debit card to withdraw money in increments of $300 from the man’s account. The woman had the man’s personal identification number because she would take him to the ATM machine and withdraw money for him.

“He would usually take out $80 or $100,” Switka said. “She took out $300, gave him $80 or $100 and kept the rest.”

Most of the time, however, she withdrew the money on her own, then returned the ATM Visa card without the man’s knowledge.

Mastropietro also is accused of taking two checks from the victim, writing them out to cash and cashing them.

Police believe she took more than $40,000 from the victim.

A woman who answered the phone Wednesday afternoon at the man’s home said he declined to comment.

Switka said that Mastropietro is one of people who provided round-the-clock care for the man through a home health care company.

Mastropietro worked during the day and would retrieve the man’s mail. When a bank statement would arrive, she would take it so the man wouldn’t see the withdrawals and other unauthorized activity, the detective said.

The bank, Farmers, contacted the victim, alerting him to the unusual activity and he contacted police. Sept. 2.

Switka interviewed Mastropietro on Wednesday.

“She gave an admission,” the detective said.

The bank initially said the withdrawals began in October 2007, but Switka said he found $300 withdrawals dating to January 2007 that the man says he didn’t make.