Sister's bank visit exposed alleged theft of $86K from elderly Hialeah couple by their own son, state attorney says

A Hialeah man is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from his elderly parents, becoming the 12th arrest made by Miami-Dade County's Elder and Vulnerable Adult (EVA) Exploitation Unit and Task Force.

Rafael Barcelo, 67, was arrested after investigators say he took more than $86,000 from his 90-year-old father and 88-year-old mother. He is currently in custody and is scheduled to appear before a judge for a bond hearing.

The case came to light when Barcelo's sister took their parents to the bank and discovered the majority of their life savings were gone, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.

State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said $34,000 was taken in January by check, listed as a gift to Barcelo's son, who owns a company called So Far LLC. The following month, Barcelo withdrew an additional $52,000 through a cashier's check, Rundle said.

When the parents learned their son was allegedly responsible, they cried, Rundle said.

Fernandez Rundle, state Sen. Rene Garcia and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava made the announcement together, emphasizing the need to protect elderly families from financial crimes.

Florida ranks second in the country for seniors falling victim to financial crimes, according to the state attorney. More than 100,000 seniors live alone in Miami-Dade County, making them frequent targets, she said.

Barcelo is the 12th person arrested since the task force was established.