Authorities say a caretaker in Coral Gables forged an elderly woman's signature on checks she issued to herself for thousands of dollars.
Carmen Garrandes, 53, has been charged with 38 counts of forgery and one count of exploitation of the elderly. Prosecutors said she forged the 96-year-old victim's signature on 38 out of 41 checks totaling $11,276.72 between June 2016 and October 2017.
Garrandes, who appeared in Miami-Dade bond court Tuesday, has a criminal history that dates back decades, prosecutors said, including being convicted in 1992 for forgery and grand theft.
A judge reduced Garrandes' initial bond of over $200,000 to $31,000. Additionally, she was ordered to stay away from the victim.
She is scheduled to be arraigned next month. Attorney information was not immediately available.
