Assisted Living Caregiver Arrested After Allegedly Stealing Over $590K from Resident

by Ryan Yousefi February 10, 2025

79Shares

Assisted Living Caregiver Arrested After Allegedly Stealing Over $590K from Resident 2

Howard Jay Juntiff {BSO}

A caregiver has been arrested for allegedly defrauding an 84-year-old Lenox Assisted Living Facility resident of $593,721, leaving the victim with only five cents in his bank account.

On February 4, investigators from the Lauderhill Police Department arrested Howard Jay Juntiff, 56, of Fort Lauderdale, on multiple felony charges, including theft from a person aged 65 or older, criminal use of personal identification information, exploitation of an elderly person, and money laundering.

LPD investigation records show the charges stem from allegations that Juntiff, a caretaker at Lenox Assisted Living Facility, fraudulently obtained over $593,000 from an 84-year-old vulnerable adult between September 2022 and December 2024.

The investigation reportedly began on December 19 after the victim’s family contacted the Lauderhill Police Department, requesting assistance from the Department of Children and Families. Responding to the request, investigators contacted the assisted living facility to interview the victim, who had only recently discovered his JP Morgan Chase bank account – which, at least check, had over $500,000 following the sale of two properties – contained only five cents.

The victim, who relied on Juntiff for physical care and financial management, initially told investigators he had hoped for an amicable resolution. However, he later requested a full investigation and criminal charges when funds were not returned.

Bank statements obtained between September 2022 and December 2024 revealed a pattern of unauthorized transactions, including systematic online transfers from the victim’s account to a TD Bank account owned by Juntiff. These transfers amounted to a total of $489,272.

In addition to online transfers, records also show ATM withdrawals of the victim’s funds. The investigation revealed that Juntiff created usernames and passwords without the victim’s consent, using the victim’s debit card details to carry out unauthorized transactions.

LPD records show the total investigators allege Juntiff stole $593,721.10 from the victim. However, investigators continue to audit the victim’s past financial records to determine if the crimes are more vast.

Upon being confronted with his alleged crimes, Juntiff refused to speak without an attorney. Following the initial investigation, He was arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail.

Got News? Send it to Tamarac Talk. Don’t Miss Reading NW Broward County’s #1 News Sites: Margate Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, Parkland Talk, and Sunrise FL Talk.

Author Profile

Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.