A Waterbury woman accused of stealing more than $200,000 from a Stamford assisted living facility, its residents, and a Hartford law firm has pleaded not guilty to a series of federal fraud charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
Marlenin Vito, 45, appeared in federal court Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty to five counts of wire fraud and 12 counts of bank fraud, each carrying potential prison sentences of 20 to 30 years, respectively.
Federal prosecutors allege that from December 2019 to May 2021, while working as a Medicaid coordinator, Vito carried out a systematic fraud scheme at the assisted living facility by generating roughly 500 fraudulent checks bearing forged signatures of another employee. The funds were diverted for her personal use, said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Avery.
Many of the facility’s residents were unable to monitor their finances due to health challenges, making them especially vulnerable. Vito allegedly took advantage by:
Falsifying entries in the company ledger to debit residents’ trust accounts
Canceling supplemental health insurance coverage while continuing to charge residents for it
Stealing COVID-19 stimulus payments by withdrawing around $60 per day from resident accounts until the funds were depleted
Creating fake account statements to mislead family members questioning the withdrawals
In addition, Vito is accused of committing similar crimes at a Hartford law firm where she worked as a bookkeeper between May and July 2023. During that time, she allegedly generated more forged checks, continuing her pattern of financial deception.
The total loss across both schemes exceeded $200,000, Avery said in the news release.
If convicted, Vito faces decades in federal prison, though sentencing would ultimately depend on federal guidelines, restitution orders, and the court’s discretion.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Haven, and federal investigators are continuing their work. Anyone with information related to the case or additional potential victims is encouraged to contact law enforcement.
