Florida: DeLand Woman Arrested at Gambling Cafe After Stealing $100K

An in-home caretaker in DeLand, Florida, was recently arrested after allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from a senior couple.

Suspect Arrested, Bail Set at $60,000

The 56-year-old woman with the initials Y.W. was detained recently by officers from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. The arrest was made earlier this week at what appears to be a gambling cafe although the venue was described by law enforcement as an internet cafe. Not unexpectedly, a warrant was issued for the woman’s arrest.

According to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the 56-year-old in-home caretaker currently faces a range of charges, including exploitation of the elderly of $20,000 to under $100,000, grand theft of more than $10,000 but less than $20,000 as well as fraudulent use of personal identification.

The arrest of the suspected thief comes after officers located her car parked in front of a gambling cafe. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office released a video of the arrest of the 56-year-old woman. The viral video shows the arrest of the elderly exploitation suspect who is found sitting in front of a gambling machine.

The woman was booked in at the Volusia County Branch Jail. According to law enforcement, her bail is set at $60,000. It is yet to be confirmed when she will appear in court for a hearing of her case. The police report does not confirm whether or not the 56-year-old woman used the stolen proceeds for gambling.

“In-home caretaker Y. W. has been arrested for the exploitation of a senior couple in DeLand. She gained the trust of her victims and used their credit cards and bank accounts to the tune of up to $100,000,“

reads a statement released by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office

Internet Cafe or a Gambling Venue

There’s one particularly interesting aspect of the recently released video of the arrest of the 56-year-old woman suspected of theft. While the Volusia Sheriff’s Office recognized the venue where the woman was arrested as an “internet cafe,” the video itself shows what appear to be more than two dozen gambling machines.

The detainee is seen sitting at a row of machines that look like video slots. On the opposite side of where Y.W. was sitting, there were computers with what looked like online casino games. On the wall, a TV is positioned where different jackpot amounts are displayed.

The arrangement of the suspected slot machines at the “internet cafe” was noticed by Facebook users who saw the video of the woman’s arrest. One person wrote: “Wait I thought you shut all of these down a few months ago? So they back open? I’m so confused!! Are they illegal or legal cause he didn’t do anything else but arrest the lady.” The same user asked if this was the same plaza as Bravo’s, joking around that she may come back.