Woman posed as building manager to steal from seniors at Broward facility after prior release, BSO says
A Broward woman was arrested again after a SWAT standoff, accused of posing as a caregiver to repeatedly steal from the elderly, just months after being released from jail on similar charges.
Jamisha Shamari Sylvain, 27, was taken into custody on Monday following an hours-long standoff at an apartment located in the 5200 block of Northeast Fifth Terrace in Deerfield Beach, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.
BSO's Burglary Apprehension Team was surveilling Sylvain when she and a second person entered the apartment and refused to leave. SWAT and crisis negotiators were called to the scene to respond, eventually convincing both of them to exit the home peacefully.
Sylvain's case began in October 2025, when BSO detectives received a report that an elderly man was being exploited at the B'nai B'rith apartments in Deerfield Beach. According to the report, a woman had posed as a caregiver, gained access to his apartment, and used his bank card to withdraw a total of $1600 from his account.
Detectives were able to identify the woman as Sylvain. They said that they also found that she was using a similar approach in several other cases, pretending to be a professional caregiver or telling victims she was a new caregiver assigned by their health insurance company. Once she had access, she stole debit cards and collected personal banking information, detectives said.
Sylvain was then arrested on Dec. 19, 2025, and booked into BSO's Main Jail on charges including occupied burglary, elderly exploitation, criminal use of personal identification information, theft of a credit card, and grand theft of a person 65 or older.
She was then released from jail in May.
After her release, BSO Deerfield Beach detectives identified at least two new cases involving Sylvain exploiting more victims using a similar approach. This time, she allegedly targeted a victim at The Pointe at Deerfield Beach Senior Living, where she pretended to be the building manager, stealing a debit card, credit cards, and cash. Detectives also reported that she removed her electronic monitoring device.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
BSO is asking anyone in Broward County who believes they or someone they know may be a victim of a similar scam to call their non-emergency line at 954-764-HELP (4357).
Detectives are also urging families to take steps to protect elderly family members and neighbors. They recommend always verifying the identity and credentials of anyone claiming to be a caregiver before allowing access to a home or finances, regularly reviewing bank statements and credit reports, and reporting suspicious activity as early as possible.