CLEVELAND — Federal authorities arrested a home health care aide from Lorain County after she allegedly siphoned more than $340,000 from her client who is blind and uses a wheelchair.
According to federal court records, Jaimie Kidd-Dunbar, 39, used her client’s debit card to make personal purchases and payments over an 18-month period.
FBI Agent Matt Richter of the Cleveland Field Office’s White Collar Crime Squad, wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit that Kidd-Dunbar’s client had also previously suffered multiple strokes.
In June 2019, the victim reported to Elyria police that there was a series of unauthorized transactions on her debit card, which Kidd-Dunbar had access to in order to buy groceries for the client. The victim’s transaction history detailed expenditures at Macy’s, Olive Garden and Kay Jewelers. There was also a transaction at a local liquor store.
Federal and local authorities later confirmed Kidd-Dunbar allegedly made those purchases using the victim’s bank card by checking with store surveillance video.
In total, authorities said Kidd-Dunbar made nearly $100,00 in unauthorized purchases from November 2018 to June 2019. Upon being questioned by Elyria detectives, Kidd-Dunbar reportedly admitted to the theft.
After her arrest, the victim reported to authorities there was an additional $249,000 in unauthorized expenditures on the victim’s bank statements dating back to January 2018. Federal agents also determined Kidd-Dunbar used the victim’s bank accounts to pay off debt on her Discover credit card.
Kidd-Dunbar appeared in federal court Friday afternoon and was subsequently released on a $20,000 bond. Her case has been bound over to a federal grand jury.
