News

Home care workers accused of forging checks of siblings they cared for

PITTSBURGH — Two home care workers are accused of stealing from a brother and sister for whom they were supposed to be caring in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Alida Ciprian, 57, and Jayla Williams-Holmes, 28, are accused of writing out checks to themselves after stealing them from the siblings, who are disabled, police said. Combined, the women are facing nearly 75 charges of forgery.

The thefts -- a total of $4,000 -- were reported to police by a brother of the siblings who is on the checking account.

According to a criminal complaint, after checking bank records, it was discovered that Ciprian and Williams-Holmes, who worked for ComForCare Home Care, had been forging checks since April.

Ciprian was confronted by the family and admitted to committing the crime and signed an admission letter, the complaint said. Neither Ciprian nor Williams-Holmes returned to work for ComForCare, and Ciprian remains at large.

One of the alleged victims, Debbie Miskin, told Channel 11 News she is recovering from a stroke and considered Ciprian a close friend.

"We confided in each other. I had no reason not to believe her," Mishkin said.

Mishkin said she confronted Ciprian about the missing money and Ciprian admitted to stealing it. According to Mishkin, Ciprian begged her not to go to police and wrote up a contract promising to pay back the money in installments. Those payments never came, and Ciprian has not been seen since.

"I had an idea she was doing it but I didn't want to believe it because she was such a good friend to me," Mishkin said.

The Mishkins said they're still waiting to get their money back and feel like their trust had been abandoned. They shared their story as a warning to others, but also as a message to the two women who are on the run.

"Turn yourselves in. Go to jail. Face a judge and I hope the judge throws the book at you," said Allen Mishkin.

A representative of ComForCare said both women were terminated. They said all of their employees go through state and county clearances before being hired.

Police said the bank has partially reimbursed the stolen money.