Suspect stole $268K from his grandparents, then stashed them in a Mexican nursing home, police say

For six months, it seemed as if an elderly couple from Indio was paying a whopping sum for home care. More than $196,000 had been transferred from their bank account to “Yes Home Care," a company with the kind of upbeat, friendly name you want in the elder services industry.

There was just one problem.

“Yes Home Care” wasn’t real.

Prosecutors filed charges this week against Luis Fernandez, 41, a Cathedral City resident who is accused of stealing more than $268,000 from his grandparents, who are in their 80s, mostly through payments to the fake company. After authorities became suspicious of Fernandez this summer, he fled the area, taking his grandparents with him, court documents state. Police later found the elderly couple at a nursing home in Mexico.

Fernandez was charged with 21 felony counts of embezzling from an elderly adult on Tuesday. The Indio Police Department confirmed that Fernandez was arrested on Wednesday afternoon. His bail has been set at $268,000 – the same amount he allegedly stole.

Court documents filed in the case alleged that Fernandez stole the bulk of the money between October 2016 and March 2017 by having his grandparents bank accounts pay bills to the fake company, which actually just mailed checks, payable to him, to his post office box.

Then, in March 2017, Fernandez obtained his grandparents power of attorney, court documents state. Polcie say Fernandez also used his grandparents’ money to pay for his bills, shopping, entertainment and a $26,000 car loan.

When confronted by authorities, Fernandez could never justify the money taken out of his grandparent’s account, said Indio police Detective Gabriel Ladanne in court records.

“Luis has never turned over supporting documents for the money spent in care of the elders,” Ladanne wrote. “Luis will not explain where the money has gone.”

Fernandez will likely make his first court appearance in the next few days. He does not currently have an attorney listed with the court.

The fake company used in this scheme is exceptionally close in name but distinctly separate from Yes in Home Care, a real Palm Desert company. Yes in Home Care is not involved with and has not been implicated in this embezzlement case in any way.

Reporter Brett Kelman can be reached at 760 778 4642 or by email at brett.kelman@desertsun.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @TDSbrettkelman.