OMEN
10-14-2007, 10:31 AM
VACAVILLE, Calif. (AP) - A man who pretended to be a woman to get a job as a caregiver was arraigned Thursday on charges that he embezzled money from an elderly woman.
Detectives say Penina Tawake, 31, of Sacramento, stole more than $24,000 from the woman since he was hired in May. They allege he spent some of the money on a car and a trip to Hawaii.
Police Sgt. Charlie Spruill said Tawake posed as a woman to get a job with a Sacramento agency that provides in-home care. The ruse was discovered after a relative of the woman found money missing from her bank account.
During that investigation, police learned that Tawake was really a man. It is unclear whether he posed as a woman with the intent of committing a crime, Spruill said.
"What we can say is that when he was hired, family members wanted to hire a female," Spruill said.
Tawake, a legal resident of Fiji, has been held since Tuesday in Solano County Jail on $250,000 bail. He was arraigned Thursday on felony charges of fraud by a caretaker and obtaining property under false pretenses, Deputy District Attorney Joel Coble said.
AP
Detectives say Penina Tawake, 31, of Sacramento, stole more than $24,000 from the woman since he was hired in May. They allege he spent some of the money on a car and a trip to Hawaii.
Police Sgt. Charlie Spruill said Tawake posed as a woman to get a job with a Sacramento agency that provides in-home care. The ruse was discovered after a relative of the woman found money missing from her bank account.
During that investigation, police learned that Tawake was really a man. It is unclear whether he posed as a woman with the intent of committing a crime, Spruill said.
"What we can say is that when he was hired, family members wanted to hire a female," Spruill said.
Tawake, a legal resident of Fiji, has been held since Tuesday in Solano County Jail on $250,000 bail. He was arraigned Thursday on felony charges of fraud by a caretaker and obtaining property under false pretenses, Deputy District Attorney Joel Coble said.
AP