Personal trainer charged in theft
GREENWICH — A personal trainer working in Greenwich had a great investment opportunity for her client, a local man in his early 60s: Put up $30,000 in a realestate venture with a former
NBA player and reap a $50,000 profit in a few months time.
But after paying $30,000, the victim never saw any profit from the proposed “houseflipping scheme,” according to court papers. Now, Andrea Root, 32, of Stratford, has been charged with felony larceny, as well as forgery.
The incident began in the summer of 2018, according to the court filing, when Root went to the retired
Greenwich man with a plan to buy a house in Maryland for $25,000, renovate it, and sell it for roughly $100,000. Root said she was working with a former professional basketball player who was also cosigning the documents.
The victim became suspicious and contacted police.
Authorities determined that Root had forged a signature on the real estate documents, according to court records.
In the affidavit, Root told police she was intending to pay back the money, but the house was not selling. In early October, the victim told police he had been reimbursed, the court filing stated, but he was not opposed to criminal prosecution.
Root turned herself in at police headquarters on Friday, and she was released on $10,000 bond and given a Nov. 8 court date.