In a disheartening case of betrayal, Ana Chamdal, a former care aide standing trial for defrauding vulnerable seniors, delivered a guilty plea surrounding thirty-four of her offenses in the provincial court of Surrey this Tuesday. Her appalling charges range from entering dwelling houses harboring the intent to commit an indictable offense, to defrauding elderly individuals along with their banks.
The initial accusatory charges that Chamdal faced totaled to a staggering count of 77, implicating the swindle of 21 elderly individuals hailing from various localities that included Surrey, White Rock, Delta, and Richmond.
A woman named Carol, who wished to retain her anonymity, launched an alarming claim, linking Chamdal to the swindling of her 96-year-old father. According to Carol, she had entrusted her father to Chamdal’s care through a recognized agency. Unveiling the extent of Chamdal’s crime, Carol stated, “She cashed in almost $5,000 fraudulently through a credit card, stolen alongside some cash as well.”
Upon discovering the craven theft, Carol immediately notified the police while grappling with deep distress and loss of faith. She ruefully recollected the impact of Chamdal’s deceit on her father and herself, and as ultimately resulting in a curtailing of his independence and violation of the trust they placed in their caregivers.
While despairingly reflecting on the accused’s motives, Carol expressed her hope for Chamdal to undergo consequential punishment for her crimes.
Among the duped victims also included 79-year-old Larry Herbert, whose loss extended to a significant $600 from his banking account, leaving him disparately unsettled, and in afraid of other health care workers. Sadly, Larry Herbert passed away the past summer. Laura-Lee Herbert, Larry’s niece, shared with CTV News, “While our beloved uncle Larry is no longer with us to witness this justice, our family cherishes her guilty plea. We are now anticipating her sentencing.”
With the legal wheels turning against Chamdal, the sentencing process will commence in January. Currently, she continues to be in custody.
