Sarasota caregiver stole more than $1 million from 94-year-old client, cops say

A 55-year-old woman has been charged with stealing more than $1 million from a woman she was caring for, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Anna Bullinger, 55, was arrested Tuesday. She faces a charge of exploiting the elderly after deputies say she stole more than $1 million from her 94-year-old client over the past four years.

Deputies say Bullinger forged her client’s name on about 150 checks totaling a little more than $1.1 million, including one for $650,000 she cashed in January 2019.

According to the arrest report, an investigation was launched in September, a few months after the victim died as the victim’s trustee began to dig through her finances.

Bullinger was hired to take care of the victim in 2014, attending to simple matters such as helping the elderly woman to medical appointments and other errands.

Deputies say Bullinger began forging and cashing checks as early as 2015 and the last check was for $90,000 that Bullinger wrote out to her daughter.

Detectives reached out to Bullinger as the investigation unfolded, but she refused to speak without an attorney.

Deputies also noted that Bullinger does not hold a caretaker license with the state of Florida.

Bullinger was booked into the Sarasota County jail and is being held on a $50,000 bond.

This story was originally published January 3, 2020 at 10:29 AM.