In-home caregiver steals millions from patient

VIDEO - She was a caregiver that was supposed to be assisting an elderly woman in declining health, instead she stole millions...

TheGrio Staff

May 20, 2010

She was a caregiver who was supposed to be assisting an elderly woman in declining health.

Instead, she ran up big bills and stole about one million dollars.
Betty Eisenberg is an invalid.

At 82 years old, she is confined to her bed with a myriad of health issues.
“I have no control over my life,” said Eisenberg.

But up until she met Helen Wofford, there were some certainties in her life.
Savings including a Westside condo that she shared with her late husband and round-the-clock medical care.

But that’s where it all went south.

“She gained peoples’ trust and robbed them blind,” said Eisenberg.

Eisenberg’s talking about Helen Wofford, her former in-home caregiver who pleaded guilty to grand theft Tuesday.

Among the charges she faced: siphoning more than $400,000 from Eisenberg’s saving.
Buying herself a Mercedes with the money and running up tens of thousands of dollars with Eisenberg’s department store charge cards.

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When detectives came to arrest Wofford, they found Eisenberg all alone, phones unplugged.

Wofford returned nearly an hour later, wondering what she had done wrong.
Eisenberg’s daughter, Liz Sanders says it’s that part that angers her the most.
But she can’t deny the impact losing all that money has had on her mother’s life, as well.

“Well, she stole everything. So she can’t afford to live here,” Sanders said.

Betty Eisenberg’s daughters will have to sell her condo soon.

She’ll likely go to a nursing home.

To the end, Wofford remained defiant, saying Eisenberg herself green-lighted the purchases, the checks, the charge cards.

“I am not guilty in this. Mrs. Eisenberg played a large role in this with me, your honor,” said Wofford.

“For whatever reason, Ms. Wofford believed that the transaction she was making, she had the authority to do that,” said Wofford’s attorney, Richard Barnwell.
Eisenberg’s family and the judge disagreed.

And she was remanded into custody.

She’ll do at least two years in state prison, say prosecutors.

But her victim’s family says it hardly seems like enough.

“When she gets out, she’ll do it again and again and again and again! She will never stop!” said Eisenberg’s daughter Sam Shapiro.

The victim’s family says anyone with an elderly relative should check and re-check caregivers and others who have access to money or possessions.

Because, as one daughter put it: “There are many more predators out there who never get caught”.