Two East Palo Alto women were sentenced Thursday, March 8, to 11 months in jail and 5 years probation for defrauding an 82-year-old woman, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
Selu Mataele, 30, and Ane Pailate, 55, were convicted of felony charges of theft from an elder in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
The victim hired Mataele as a daytime caregiver through a private care agency after returning home from the hospital, and later hired Mataele privately away from the care agency, the DA’s office said. Pailate, who is Mataele’s aunt, was also hired as a caregiver for extra help.
A few years later, the victim’s daughter was reconciling the elder woman’s check book and became suspicious. The victim was writing checks for greater amounts than owed the two caregivers. The victim had signed blank checks and told Mataele and Pailate to write in the amounts they were owed. But the defendants took advantage of the trusting relationship and penned in exorbitant amounts, the DA’s office said.
The daughter initially reported to the police that she believed the overage amount was about $10,000. After the district attorney’s office obtained all of the victim’s records, the loss was actually $171,256, which accrued over an approximately three-year period.
The criminal charges were the result of an investigation by the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Elder Financial Abuse Unit.
Mataele has so far repaid $20,000 and Pailate has repaid $6,000 to the victim. As a part of the terms of their probation, the women were ordered to pay the remaining restitution.
Respect the elderly because one day you’ll be elderly too.
11 months … that is all. Then they go out to what … do it again. Do you think they will be able to pay back the amount … $171,256 … within this almost 6 years, and do they have to repay with interest or a fine?
Now, what would be the effect on other corrupt caregivers if they knew they were going to get dumped in the clink for a few years AND have to pay back double the amount stolen? I bet if we could check this kind of thing is pretty rampant.
Thanks for publicizing these crimes and raising awareness. The more the crooks think they will get caught and get publicized, the less likely they are to pull this type of crime.
That’s an obscenely short sentence for not only stealing a large amount of money, but possibly leaving an elderly person destitute.
It’s because of people like this that gives us honest caregivers a bad name. Especially because I share the same nationality and heritage as these women, it’s even harder on me. What do people get out of stealing?? Shame.
these 2 should be rotten in jail for the rest of there life!!! 11 months is not enough and I hope when they get out no one will hire them back.
Shame shame shame,these two women should be sentenced for 5 yrs or more lol and on top of that they should pay back the money they stole!
they should be in jail for 10yrs minimum..shame..n greedy
They just ruined it for all the good honest tongan caregivers that are out there and I come from a family of good honest caregivers…thank god I ain’t related to any of those 2, I’d be embarrassed….it’s bad enough I’m embarrassed now (thanks to those 2 idiots) that did such an horrid act and put a scarlet letter on my nationality and profession…and I’m a caregiver….so damn shameful…
Yeah for Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office in achieving such an outstanding sentence for two cruel theives! Good grief! What sort of weak prosecution was presented that let these two heartless women off so lightly. This is a joke of a sentence. Shane on those two women and shame on the court.
What a shame! This seemed to be common amongst Tongan Caregivers. It brings a bad name to the Pacific Islanders here in America, not only to caregivers, but to the Pacific Island Community as well.. They should be sent back to where they came from. “Learn not to live beyond your means”. Appreaciate what you have.
Listen here U 2 BLIND MICE!!! What have U done with all that $$$ that doesn’t belong to your BLIND EYES!!!! Have you both bought yourselves a new house?? or limousine?? huhhh?? DAMMNIT!!!!! Who U both think u are??? huhh??? Is that what they taught in your Island?? It doesn’t work here in this country OKKKK!!!!! U need to GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!! GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!!!! DO YOU GET THAT TO YOUR THICK SKULLS??? I FEEL SO SORRY FOR THAT ELDERLY LADY, SHE’S AROUND MY MOTHER’S AGE!!! SHAME ON YOU BOTH!!! WHAT WOULD YOUR PEOPLE THINK??? HUHHH??? YOUR KIDS AND FAMILIES??? THEY MUST BE SHAMED FOR THEIR LIVES!!!! GET LOST AND STAY THERE FOR HALF A CENTURY!!!
My kootness!!! koe me’a fakama!!! Shame for you and shame to me!!!! You holi too much e?? You want too much money for look good to all men in da world!!! and now wat??? you in jail and hit for road chack no more coming back no more no more!!! hehehe!!! kana hake ena moe holi too much money for nuffing!!! you fool of nuts in da head!!! hoiiiiiii fakapo!!! ulu kovi!!! na mo alu kihe ako??? he?? you go school wen you liddle??? you both stupid and poor da old lady i love to her!! i love for tell da old lady no worry pecos you too will pay for her money!!! you too pastad!!! neva do for old bebol again OKKKKK!!! mahino ho mo uto vale???? i stay for da east palo alto and ngali vale to hear dis!!! palagi no like tonga bebol now!!! all da bebol for da werl not like tonga bebol or carekiva anymore!!! mo nofo hena o ako ho mo lesoni!!! hoiiiiiiii!!! fakahela aupito!!! wase for da time!!!
Oku mo pehe oku mo gali poto? ho’o mo fuu kai lahi pehe?? ae pa’aga ae sii vaivai!! oku fefe ho’o mo fakakaukau kihe fanogo mai a homo famili mei Tonga? pea moe siasi oku mo kau kiai. Oku mo faka ngali vale’i ae Tonga kotoa he fonua ni. Tau tefito kiho tau kii fonua ko fonua lotu ka oku ikai toe tui mai ha taha ihe kakai oe fonua ni kihe Tonga. Ofa pe oku mo ako ha me’a ihe lolotonga ho mo nofo he pilisone ke iai ha taimi temo foki ai ki api kuo mafoa homo fo’i uto ke hau e vale ki tu’a kae hu atu he poto kamo ako ha me’a oku lelei kihe kaha’u ho’omo moui pe oua na’a toe ngalo ia o ta’engata pea ta’engata and never ever never do that again!! forever and ever and ever and ever Amen!!
this is so cray cray!!!…. its sooo embarrassing to hear this and very upsetting!..it makes it worse for all tongans..we are all here from the islands to live an honest life and we all work hard to live a decent life and be comfortable and raise our children the best way we can and know how..and its people like u guys who makes it harder for us to live our dream for children..shame on u and u shuld have 20 yrs! and pay back triple and rott..thanks! and u need to be deported to tonga!!..
these beezy did the mostest! go back to living the fkaofa life, thats what yall get woona steal from the elderly