A Cuban man living in Miami has been apprehended for allegedly stealing $600,000 and a home from an elderly woman in his care, who was physically and mentally incapacitated. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office conducted the investigation leading to the arrest.
Nilo Somoano, a 62-year-old Cuban national, has been detained since last week on charges including theft from a person 65 years or older valued at $50,000 or more, exploitation of the elderly for amounts over $50,000, and organized fraud exceeding $50,000—all first-degree felonies.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle announced Somoano's arrest and charges on Thursday. The investigation revealed his exploitation of his elderly neighbor at the Half Moon Towers condominium, located at 5055 NW 7th Street in Miami.
The victim, who passed away on October 16, 2021, at the age of 89, suffered from severe mental and physical disabilities. Since 2015, she was unable to care for herself and required assistance for daily tasks such as bathing, meal preparation, medication management, and attending medical appointments.
Carmela Yolanda Magaraci was the name of the victim, as disclosed by her nephew during an interview with Telemundo51. Ricardo Magaraci mentioned that the last time they saw her alive was in 2020, noting her mental absence. He recounted asking her about her documents, to which she replied, “He took them, the man took them.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the victim's family was unable to visit Miami until they learned of her death in 2021. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office discovered that Somoano became her caretaker under dubious circumstances.
In January 2016, he obtained a durable power of attorney, granting him access to her finances. With this legal authority, he began embezzling her funds. He also managed to have her relinquish her apartment rights and transfer the deed while she was still living there.
The prosecutor's statement noted that Somoano has resided in multiple units at Half Moon Towers since 2006 and owns several apartments in the complex. Financial records revealed he used the victim's accounts to purchase another condo unit and depleted her original $600,000 estate on various expenditures.
Prosecutors reported that he transferred nearly $14,000 to his wife via Zelle for cremation services for his brother and godmother, made purchases at Costco, bought hardware and home improvement items at Home Depot, funded plumbing services, and shopped at clothing, specialty, and automotive supply stores.
Fernández Rundle emphasized that “none of these services or items could have benefited the victim, who spent her final days in an adult living facility.” She added, “The economic exploitation of our elderly residents is often a heartless scheme to strip someone of the benefits of a lifetime of hard work and thoughtful financial planning.”
“Taking advantage of someone's mental and physical frailty to rob them is a crime that neither I nor the investigators nor the State Attorney’s Office's Elder and Vulnerable Adult Unit will tolerate,” she stated.
Somoano was booked into TGK prison on Thursday, with bail set at $750,000, as reported by NBC6 South Florida.
Understanding Elderly Exploitation Cases in Miami
What charges is Nilo Somoano facing?
Nilo Somoano is charged with theft from a person 65 years or older valued at $50,000 or more, exploitation of the elderly for amounts over $50,000, and organized fraud exceeding $50,000, all first-degree felonies.
How did Somoano gain control of the victim's finances?
In January 2016, Somoano obtained a durable power of attorney, which allowed him legal access to the victim's finances, enabling him to embezzle her funds.
What did Somoano do with the victim's money?
Somoano used the victim's money to purchase another condo unit, transferred funds to his wife, and spent on various personal and household items, depleting her $600,000 estate.
What are the implications of elderly exploitation?
Elderly exploitation involves taking advantage of a senior's vulnerability, often leading to the loss of their life savings and financial security, which is a serious crime intolerable by law enforcement.