NJ man lived in 90-year-old’s home rent free and stole $90K, cops say

FANWOOD — A man who was ostensibly caring for a 90-year-old woman and living rent free in her home was charged with stealing over $90,000 from her, locking her in her room and tricking her into naming her a beneficiary of her will, investigators said.

Castor A. Toro, 52, is charged with stealing nearly $90,000 by opening credit cards in the woman's name without her knowledge, used her existing credit cards for personal expenses, writing himself checks from her bank account, and tricking her into writing him checks claiming they were for "investments," Union County Acting Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo said.

Toro, who is not related to the woman, also took her to a lawyer and coerced her into naming him as a beneficiary in her will, according to Ruotolo.

He also tried to isolate her by cutting off her access to friends and family, cutting access to her phone and locking her in her own room, the prosecutor said.

Ruotolo said the investigation started with a referral from the Union County office of the New Jersey Department of Human Services Adult Protective Services and included interviews with friends, family members and neighbors.

Toro turned himself into police on Tuesday and was charged with second-degree theft, second-degree theft by deception and third-degree abandonment or neglect of an elderly person. New Jersey 101.5 did not know Thursday whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ