LOS ALTOS HILLS – A caregiver for an elderly South Bay couple has been arrested on elder abuse charges after allegedly using their bank card to steal thousands of dollars from the couple, deputies said Tuesday.
According to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect stole the card from a Los Altos Hills couple and made 15 unauthorized withdrawals from ATMs in Mountain View, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale in December 2023. Four of the withdrawals took place at 7-Eleven ATMs. in Santa Clara, while the other transactions took place at Bank of America ATMs.
Deputies said $10,607 was stolen over two weeks.
The fraud was not reported to the sheriff’s office until February, when the victims’ daughter was preparing tax documents.
On April 16, officers arrested the suspect, identified as 44-year-old Gerald Camposanto Cerillo of Santa Clara. Cerillo worked for a healthcare services company and was assigned to the Los Altos Hills couple.
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
Officers said he was identified by his employer as the man who appeared on ATM surveillance video. He was hired by the company in September 2023 after passing a background check.
Cerillo claimed to have four years of experience as a caregiver.
Cerillo was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. He has been charged with financial elder abuse by a caregiver and with unlawful use of a bank card.
Deputies said Tuesday there may be more victims, saying similar allegations of fraud surfaced at another employer in June 2023.
Anyone with additional information about Cerillo is asked to call the sheriff’s office West Valley Detectives at 408-868-6600.
