ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – An employee at a health and rehabilitation center stole credit cards from a dying patient and racked up thousands of dollars in charges, according to the Rockledge Police Department.
The 71-year-old victim had been a patient at Rockledge Health and Rehabilitation Center since August 2018 when he started experiencing health issues. Beginning in January and continuing through Saturday, he noticed fraudulent charges on cards from Capital One, T.J. Maxx, Chase and BJ's Wholesale Club, and he reported it to the facility, the affidavit said.
Police said the cards to make $5,000 worth of charges at various locations in Rockledge and Melbourne, including CVS, Publix, Dollar General, Walmart, Murphy gas station, Applebee's, Bealls Outlet and Home Depot. At some of the locations, there was video showing the transactions.
The victim died Feb. 28 of natural causes. A few days later, on March 3, another fraudulent charge was made and the man's family reported it to authorities.
Police said the investigation led them to identify Rockledge Health and Rehabilitation Center housekeeper Manuel Ramos, 51, as a suspect.
"When someone is placed in a position of trust and they're taking care of somebody who is sick and is at a rehab facility, when you steal from them it's very disheartening," Officer Steven Tagye said.
Ramos admitted to stealing the credit cards in December and using them earlier this year, according to the affidavit.
Ramos was arrested Wednesday on charges of dealing in credit cards of another, exploitation of the elderly, grand theft and larceny.