NEW YORK, NY (July 2, 2025) — New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the guilty plea of Chantel Chenault, 46, of Danbury, CT, a caseworker with Westchester County Adult Protective Services (APS), for stealing more than $200,000 from an elderly woman suffering from dementia while under her care.
The investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) revealed that from March 2017 to June 2022, Chenault manipulated the victim and used the victim’s bank card to withdraw hundreds of thousands of dollars from her checking account.
Chenault transferred over $500,000 from the elderly woman’s retirement accounts to her checking account and would bring the woman to the bank to make withdrawals multiple times per month. Chenault also regularly used the woman’s ATM card at Empire World Casino in Yonkers without permission, primarily when the victim was homebound. On June 26, Chenault pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree in Westchester County Court.
“Elderly New Yorkers deserve trustworthy caretakers allowing them to live their later years in dignity and security,” said Attorney General James. “Chantel Chenault abused her position to steal a vulnerable woman’s retirement savings, and my office is bringing her to justice. I will continue to go after anyone who tries to manipulate or steal from seniors in need.”
As an APS caseworker, Chenault’s duties included accompanying the victim to her bank once a month. As the victim’s physical and mental health declined, Chenault became responsible for arranging for home health aides from a third-party provider to care for the victim. When Chenault went on medical leave in March 2022, the new caseworker at APS assigned to the victim noticed a substantial drop in her assets in just a matter of months. Further investigation revealed that the woman’s bank accounts and retirement accounts were entirely depleted, leaving her unable to afford home health care. A forensic audit of her bank accounts identified a pattern of suspicious withdrawals and transfers.
As a result of the OAG’s investigation, Chenault was indicted on March 23, 2023. A guardian was appointed for the victim in April 2023. The guardian successfully secured $881,062 in restitution from Westchester County, which was used for her housing and medical needs.
Chenault faces a sentence of up to six months in jail following her guilty plea. The forensic investigation was undertaken by Auditor Investigator Bashiri Kirven, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro, with the audit team led by Chief Auditor Kristen Fabbri.
Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Kyriacou handled the prosecution, under the supervision of Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy and Deputy Chief Kiran Heer, with assistance from former Senior Counsel Russell Satin and Senior Analyst Crystal Bisbano. Both the Investigations Bureau and the Public Integrity Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice, led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.