Caretakers charged in robbery of widow

$1.4 million taken, police say

Former caretakers for a late Fort Lauderdale woman are accused of stealing $1.4 million in cash and jewelry valued at $1 million from her and her estate, police said Monday.

Florence R. Kaufman Weiner, a 78-year-old widow who had dementia, lived in a condo on the beach at 3900 Galt Ocean Drive until she died of cardiovascular disease in March, 2016, according to court documents and Fort Lauderdale police reports.

She relied on Angella Morrison, 54, of Fort Lauderdale, and Anna Kay Rashida Johnson, 29, of Coral Springs, to take her to doctors appointments; to meetings with attorneys; to the bank and other errands and to restaurants,

police said.

Morrison and Johnson were arrested March 7. The State Attorney’s Office has charged them with grand theft; financial exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult; multiple counts of dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership or information given to a pawnbroker.

They have both pleaded not guilty and are out of jail on bonds: $51,000 for Morrison and $44,000 for Johnson.

Kaufman Weiner was a jeweler in her younger years. She was diagnosed with dementia in 2013; Morrison began working for her in June of that year at a salary of $15 per hour, police and court documents say.

Morrison and Johnson received large raises in a short period of time as well as bonus checks of up to $10,000 from Kaufman Weiner, police said.

A month after Kaufman Weiner died, Morrison is accused of making four withdrawals totalling more than $1,432,724 from the deceased woman’s accounts, a report said.

Also, more than 50 pieces of Kaufman Weiner’s jewelry were taken from a safe deposit box and pawned, police said.

Kaufman Weiner’s daughter, Tina Kaufman, of New Jersey, did not learn of her mother’s death for five months, police said. That news came when the Playa del Mar condo association contacted Kaufman for delinquent HOA fees.

In a civil lawsuit, Kaufman is alleging the caretakers committed elder abuse, undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, fraud and civil conspiracy.

Johnson said in court papers that while Kaufman became a beneficiary on two of her mother’s accounts in May, 2014, Kaufman Weiner later changed her mind and made co-defendant Morrison the designated beneficiary for her accounts.

Kaufman could not be reached for comment. Attorneys involved in the criminal and civil court cases did not return calls seeking comment.

Fort Lauderdale police ask anyone who may have information about this case or about Morrison and Johnson to call detectives at 954-828-5700.

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