Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Glen Cove bookkeeper was arrested and arraigned last week on a 10-count felony complaint alleging that she stole $60,400 from an elderly client.
Deborah Schneider, 52, was arraigned before Nassau County District Court Paul Meli and charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny and nine counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. If convicted of the top charge, the defendant faces up to 15 years in prison. Schneider was held on $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash bail and was due back in court on Sept. 24.
“The defendant was a trusted employee but allegedly betrayed that trust and stole more than $60,000 from an elderly woman,” Acting DA Singas said. “Seniors are especially vulnerable to economic crimes and I encourage anyone who suspects an elderly person was victimized to contact my office.”
Acting DA Singas said that Schneider started working as a bookkeeper for the victim in November 2013. The victim’s daughter inquired about her mother’s finances and subsequently discovered that money was missing from bank accounts. The defendant was allegedly altering checks signed by the victim by adding the word “hundred” to the amount line and adding two zeros to the numerical amount. For instance, a signed check for $25 became altered to read $2,500. In total, the defendant allegedly stole $60,400 from the victim and all the altered checks were deposited into Schneider’s account.
The case was referred to the District Attorney’s Office by the Nassau County Police Department’s Crimes Against Property Squad. The DA’s office opened an investigation in August.
Schneider was arrested by a Nassau County Police Department detective.
Assistant District Attorney Vickie Curran of Acting DA Singas’ Government and Consumer Frauds Bureau is prosecuting the case. Schneider is represented by Steve Politi, Esq.
