Bergen County Board of Social Services Adult Protective Services Unit

April 8,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Park Ridge NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of KIM COVELLO (DOB: 4/20/1955; married; and self-employed) of 167 Mansfield Road, Park Ridge, New Jersey on Theft by Deception and Elder Abuse charges. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.

In April 2017, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit received a complaint regarding suspected elder financial abuse from the Bergen County Board of Social Services Adult Protective Services Unit (APS). The victim was identified as a 94-year-old Bergen County resident who had entrusted a one-time neighbor, Kim COVELLO, with a durable power of attorney. In 2014 and 2016, the APS received complaints regarding financial and care-related issues between the victim and Ms. COVELLO. Those complaints were investigated by APS and then turned over to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

During the ensuing investigation, it was determined that Kim COVELLO had obtained Power of Attorney over the victim in 2012 and that between 2012 and 2016, Ms. COVELLO had used in excess of $150,000 of the victim’s money for her own purposes. Ms. Covello’s illicit use of the victim’s money included direct payments to herself and members of her family in violation of the Power of Attorney agreement and the use of the victim’s funds to build an addition on her, Ms. Covello’s, house. As a result of Ms. Covello’s actions, the victim’s funds were completely depleted and the victim is now in need of public assistance financing.

As a result of the investigation, Kim COVELLO was arrested on March 29, 2018 in Paramus, NJ and charged with one count of Theft by Deception with the amount involved being greater than $75,000 in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4a, a crime of the 2nd degree; and one count of Elder Abuse in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-8a, a crime of the 3rd degree. Ms. Covello is scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 8:30 a.m.

Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt