Idaho Falls Caregiver Arrested for Alleged Theft from Elderly Woman
IDAHO FALLS — Ignacio Soriano III, a 49-year-old Idaho Falls man, was arrested on charges of felony grand larceny and grand theft after he allegedly stole over $32,000 from an 88-year-old woman he was supposed to be caring for.
The case came to light on April 16 when a friend of the elderly woman reported suspicious financial activity to the Idaho Falls Police Department. The friend indicated that Soriano had been helping the victim since May 2023 and had written checks to himself while also acquiring a debit card from the woman’s account without her consent.
Investigations revealed that the elderly woman’s financial situation worsened dramatically during Soriano’s care. While her average bank balance was around $5,000, it plummeted to $1,074.80 by December 2023, finally reaching a negative balance of -$45 by the end of that month. The friend and the victim found bounced checks for utility payments, leading to utilities being cut off on April 15, 2024.
Court documents indicate that between November 2023 and June 2024, checks made out to Soriano totaled approximately $14,647, while the debit card issued to him was used for personal purchases, including transactions at local grocery stores and liquor shops, despite the victim not being a drinker.
When approached by law enforcement, Soriano admitted to running errands for the victim but denied any wrongdoing regarding the checks or the debit card transactions.
Although charged, Soriano is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 13 before Magistrate Judge Tawnya Rawlings.
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