Chantel Chenault Fraudulently Withdrew and Spent Funds Belonging to a 95-Year-Old Suffering from Dementia Under Her Care
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the guilty plea of Chantel Chenault, a caseworker with Westchester County Adult Protective Services (APS), for stealing more than $200,000 from an elderly woman suffering from dementia while under her care. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that from March 2017 to June 2022, Chenault manipulated the victim and used the victim’s bank card to withdraw hundreds of thousands of dollars from her checking account. Chenault transferred over $500,000 from the elderly woman’s retirement accounts to the woman’s checking account and would bring the woman to the bank to make withdrawals multiple times per month. Chenault also regularly used the woman’s ATM card at casinos without permission, primarily Empire World Casino in Yonkers. On June 26, Chenault pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree in Westchester County.
“Elderly New Yorkers deserves trustworthy caretakers allowing them to live their later years in dignity and security,” said Attorney General James. “Chantel Chenault abused her position to steal a vulnerable woman’s retirement savings, and my office is bringing her to justice. I will continue to go after anyone who tries to manipulate or steal from seniors in need.”
As an APS caseworker, Chenault’s duties included accompanying the victim to her bank once a month. As the victim’s physical and mental health declined, Chenault became responsible for arranging for home health aides from a third-party provider to care for the victim. When Chenault went on medical leave in March 2022, the new caseworker at APS assigned to Chenault’s victim noticed there had been a substantial drop in her assets in just a matter of months. Further investigation revealed that the woman’s bank accounts and retirement accounts were entirely depleted, and as a result, she could no longer afford home health care. A forensic audit of her bank accounts identified a pattern of suspicious withdrawals and transfers, and the use of the victim’s ATM card at times when she was homebound.
As a result of OAG’s investigation, a guardian was appointed for the victim in April 2023. The guardian was then able to successfully secure $881,062 in restitution to the victim from Westchester County, which was used for her housing and medical needs.
On June 26, Chenault pleaded guilty to the top-count charge of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree in Westchester County Court. As a result of her plea, Chenault faces a sentence of up to six months in jail.
The forensic investigation was undertaken by Auditor Investigator Bashiri Kirven, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro. The audit team is led by Chief Auditor Kristen Fabbri.
Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Kyriacou handled the prosecution in this matter, under the supervision of Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy and Deputy Chief Kiran Heer, with assistance from former Senior Counsel Russell Satin and Senior Analyst Crystal Bisbano. Both the Investigations Bureau and the Public Integrity Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
