Police Charge, Jail Woman Who Allegedly Preyed On South Palm Beach County Senior Citizen.
BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
BOYNTON BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Boynton Beach woman was victimized by a helper she hired off of the “NextDoor” app, an app popular with area senior citizens.
Irina Siegele is now facing larceny and forgery charges after she allegedly admitted the crimes to Boynton Beach Police.
BocaNewsNow.com reviewed, and is publishing, the narrative of the police report that led to Siegele’s arrest. It serves as a warning to seniors: be very careful about who you hire online:
Boynton Beach Police Police Narrative:
The Boynton Beach Police Department received a report of fraud. The initial investigation revealed the elderly victim, L.A. had hired the defendant, identified as Alexandra Siegele via the NextDoor ISP application to assist her with packing and moving from her former residence in Lake Worth Beach to her new residence in Boynton Beach. Siegele was hired to assist with the move in addition to light household cleaning.
Victim L.A. agreed to pay the defendant $25 per hour for her services. Defendant Siegele was hired in early to mid-August and continued to work for the victim into
the month of September.
In late September, victim L.A. discovered some of her checkbooks were missing from her residence, a subsequent audit of her bank records for her J.P. Morgan Chase checking account (a revealed multiple checks had been forged and cashed against her account resulting in a financial loss. Victim L.A. provided copies of the stolen/forged checks. Victim L.A. made several attempts to contact the defendant to discuss the matter, however, her calls were left unreturned.
On 10/07/21, I made telephone contact with defendant Siegele and asked her if she would be willing to schedule an appointment with me to discuss the case. Defendant Siegele agreed to meet at the Boynton Beach Police Department on 10/11/21 at 1030 hours. On 10/11/21 at 1020 hours, defendant Siegele arrived at the Boynton Beach Police Department at which time she was greeted and accompanied to a BBPD lobby interview room. I then obtained a digitally recorded sworn post-Miranda statement from defendant Siegele who confirmed she had in fact unlawfully removed multiple checks from victim L.A.’s residence, forged same, making herself the payee and deposited the checks via the ATM machine at her financial institution (Wells Fargo) into her account, later withdrawing the cash.
Defendant Siegele reviewed the copies of the checks provided by victim L.A. and confirmed she had stolen and forged check #260 for $400.00, check #259 for $150.00, check #126 for $200.00, check #127 for $400.00 and an additional check in the amount of $150.00 which had not been previously reported by victim L.A.
Total value of the theft, $1300.00. Defendant Siegele further advised she still had the stolen funds in US currency at her residence and wished to return the funds to the victim, agreeing to travel to her residence with me to recover same. Following the interview, defendant Siegele and I traveled to her residence located at 131 W. Ocean Drive, Boynton Beach, FL where she turned over 13, $100 denomination bills to me which was later submitted to BBPD Evidence.
Defendant Siegele and I then travelled back to BBPD where she was taken into custody without incident at 1142 hours. Based on the above facts resulting from this investigation, probable cause exists to charge defendant Siegele with 1F count Grand Theft and 5F counts Forgery. Defendant Siegele was processed and TOT PBCJ.
Siegele was later released on $2,000 bond. A court date is pending.
