Press Release  Worcester Nursing Assistant Indicted and Arraigned in Connection With Theft From Elderly Patients

WORCESTER — Attorney General Maura Healey announced that a Worcester nursing assistant has been indicted and arraigned in connection with his unauthorized use of four nursing home residents’ debit cards and the theft of over $30,000 from their accounts.

Alexander Irizarry, 52, of Worcester, was arrested last Friday and arraigned Tuesday in Worcester Superior Court on the charges of Larceny from a person over 60 years of age (4 counts), attempted Larceny over $250 from a person over 60 years of age (1 count), and attempted Larceny under $250 from a person over 60 years of age (1 count).

Following Irizarry’s not guilty plea at the arraignment, Judge Daniel Wrenn set bail at $5,000 with the conditions that he stay away from and have no contact with any of the alleged victims; stay away from and have no contact with any Parsons Hills employees and residents who may be witnesses in this matter; not work as a Certified Nursing Assistant in any setting; not work or volunteer in any nursing facility, Rest Home, or any healthcare setting; not work, volunteer, or provide health care services to any person who is developmentally disabled or anyone 60 years old or older; not to leave the state without leave of the court; and that he surrender his passport.

In addition, Judge Wrenn placed Irizarry on GPS monitoring and home confinement during the pendency of the case.

Irizarry was indicted on the charges by a Worcester County Grand Jury on April 14 and arrested on April 15. He is scheduled for a pretrial conference in Worcester Superior Court on May 19.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division and detectives from the Worcester Police Department. Investigators allege that between June 2020 and May 2021, Irizarry exploited his position of trust as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Parsons Hill Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Worcester to gain access to the four residents’ debit cards under the guise of having permission from the facility to shop and do banking for residents who were quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Irizarry allegedly asked vulnerable residents diagnosed with memory issues, declining health, or mental health issues if they needed items from stores or had any banking needs. With access to the residents’ debit cards and PINs, Irizarry allegedly repeatedly visited ATMs and withdrew between $500 to $1,000 in cash from the residents’ accounts each time.

The investigation also revealed that Irizarry kept residents’ debit cards for extended periods of time. In one instance, Irizarry kept and used a dying resident’s debit card to withdraw $1,000 while Irizarry vacationed in Florida. He then returned from his trip and continued using the ATM card even after the resident had died. During Irizarry’s 11-month scheme, prosecutors allege that he took more than $30,000 and attempted to steal thousands more.

All of these charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Managing Attorney Gregory Matthews, Senior Trial Counsel Elisha Willis, Senior Health Care Fraud Investigator Erica Schlain, and Investigator Vanessa Asiatidis, all of AG Healey’s Medicaid Fraud Division, with assistance from the Worcester Police Department, particularly WPD Detective James Wickes. Parsons Hill Rehabilitation and Health Care Center fully cooperated with the investigation.

The AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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