Coral Springs police investigation ends with arrest of New York woman accused of exploiting her elderly aunt and misusing more than 156,000 dollars from condo sale proceeds
Coral Springs, Florida – A long-running financial crime investigation in South Florida has ended with the arrest of a New York woman accused of exploiting her elderly aunt and misusing more than $156,000 from the sale of the woman’s condominium, according to Coral Springs police.
The case, handled by the Coral Springs Police Department’s Economic Crime Unit, centered on allegations that 38-year-old Crystal Gonzalez improperly diverted funds belonging to her aunt, Gladis Monagas-Garcia, who suffered from advanced dementia. Although neither woman lived in Coral Springs, investigators said the case fell under their jurisdiction because the real estate closing was processed through a Coral Springs-based title company, where the disputed funds were distributed.
According to investigators, Monagas-Garcia sold her Hialeah condominium in 2021 after moving into an assisted living facility in Palm Beach Gardens. The sale was handled by First International Title in Coral Springs, where she received a check for more than $156,000. Officials said the money was intended to support her long-term care needs at Palms Edge Assisted Living Facility.
Police allege that shortly before the closing, Gonzalez opened joint bank accounts with her aunt and deposited the proceeds from the condominium sale into those accounts. From there, investigators say the funds were gradually redirected away from the victim’s care and into Gonzalez’s personal use.
“According to the affidavit,” Gonzalez began transferring significant portions of the money into her own accounts, along with making cash withdrawals and purchases at multiple retailers. Bank records reviewed by detectives reportedly showed approximately $63,297 in personal spending tied to funds believed to belong to Monagas-Garcia.
As the investigation continued, police also examined care payment records from the assisted living facility. Administrators reported that monthly payments for Monagas-Garcia’s residence initially totaled around $3,000, but later dropped sharply to approximately $1,053 per month, reflecting only her Social Security income. The reduction created an increasing unpaid balance at the facility while funds from the condominium sale remained available.
Investigators said the financial discrepancies raised serious concerns about how the money was being managed. Despite the substantial proceeds from the home sale, very little of the money was used to cover ongoing care costs after September 2021, according to the report.
Detectives also reviewed visitor logs from the assisted living facility, which showed limited contact between Gonzalez and her aunt. According to police records, Gonzalez visited only occasionally and stopped visiting altogether in October 2021. Monagas-Garcia later died in February 2023, according to the affidavit.
The investigation, which spanned multiple years, pieced together financial records, transaction histories, and facility documentation in order to track the movement of funds. Authorities said the evidence pointed to a pattern in which resources meant for care and basic living expenses were instead used for personal benefit.
After concluding the investigation, Coral Springs police arrested Gonzalez last week. She was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and faces charges of grand theft from a person 65 years of age or older, as well as exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult.
Officials emphasized that financial exploitation cases involving vulnerable adults often rely on detailed forensic accounting and coordination between agencies, especially when transactions cross multiple jurisdictions. In this case, the involvement of a Coral Springs title company was key in establishing investigative authority and tracing the initial distribution of funds.
While the legal process is now moving forward, authorities say the case highlights a broader concern about elder financial abuse, particularly when individuals in caregiving roles are given access to banking and property transactions. Investigators did not indicate whether additional charges may be filed, but the case remains part of ongoing efforts to identify and prosecute similar offenses.
For now, Gonzalez remains in custody as the justice process continues, while the findings of the investigation provide a detailed account of how a significant portion of an elderly woman’s life savings allegedly disappeared during her final years of care.
