Rhode Island nurse accused of stealing from elderly patient

A Rhode Island registered nurse is facing felony charges after allegedly stealing her patient’s banking information to make fraudulent purchases.

Court documents indicate that 49-year-old Francisca Pacheco has been charged with exploitation of an elder and access to a computer for fraudulent purposes.

According to the police report, an elderly man reported that his bank account had been frozen after his caregiver attempted to withdraw $7,292.47. The victim’s daughter later identified the caregiver as Francisca Pacheco.

E-mails between the bank and a Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) investigator suggest that Pacheco stole thousands of dollars from the victim and used his credit card without authorization.

The e-mails show that the bank confirmed multiple unauthorized charges on the victim’s account, including the attempted withdrawal of $7,292.47, which was declined once the bank flagged suspicious activity. A bank employee confirmed that Pacheco was never an authorized user or signer on the account.

Investigators said Pacheco added her own accounts to the victim’s bank profile without his knowledge or consent. The victim’s family believes the alleged scheme began in January 2025, about a year after she started working as the victims caregiver.

Pacheco was arrested Thursday and charged in court, where she did not enter a plea. She was released on personal recognizance and ordered to have no contact with the victim. She is scheduled to appear in court again on December 15.

Her nursing license no longer appears on the Rhode Island Department of Health website.

Difficulties among employees at the department is not new. In September, the Rhode Island Department of Health took disciplinary action against six nurses across six separate incidents. Three of those nurses surrendered their licenses following the investigations, marking an unusually high number of enforcement actions in a single month.

Rhode Island nurse accused of stealing.