DORAL, Fla. — Monica Orta, a 59-year-old woman with a lengthy criminal history, was arrested Tuesday by Doral police after allegedly exploiting an 86-year-old woman she had been hired to care for.
Police say Orta, a Hialeah resident originally from Lima, Peru, used the elderly victim’s credit cards to make unauthorized purchases at stores including Nordstrom and Macy’s. Surveillance footage confirmed her involvement, according to Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez.
The alleged exploitation began after Orta was hired through an agency to care for the victim at the Goldvue Estates gated community. She reportedly vanished with two of the victim’s rings valued at $2,500 and was later found near her home driving a Chevrolet Equinox. Officers recovered the victim’s credit cards, receipts, and a gift card during the traffic stop.
Orta told officers she had quit the job due to the victim’s “rudeness and disrespect,” denying wrongdoing. However, police linked her to the suspicious transactions reported by the stores.
Her criminal record includes arrests in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties dating back to 2004, with charges related to theft and fraud. Miami-Dade prosecutors have now charged her with seven felonies and two misdemeanors, including:
Exploiting an elderly disabled victim
Organized scheme to defraud
Multiple counts of identity and credit card fraud
Circuit Judge Michelle Delancy will oversee the case as it proceeds through the Miami-Dade court system.
