A home health aide who admitted to taking $1.4 million from a man in her care, was back in court after missing depositions in an ongoing battle to settle with the family of the late Dr. Louis Braida. “I still love Dr. Braida, he was a good man,” Fatumata Jaiteh told 5 Investigates outside a Middlesex Superior courtroom in Lowell on Thursday. After taking a job as his health aide, Jaiteh had quickly become his power of attorney and admitted to a sexual relationship with the man, 5 Investigates previously reported. Braida was 79 when he died three years ago, still in Jaiteh’s care.Braida’s family sued, and settled for $500,000 which Jaiteh agreed to pay, court documents show.But Jaiteh hasn’t paid the full amount, leading to Thursday’s court hearing.Records show she still owes about $168,000, and lawyers for Braida’s family said she violated court orders by selling property in Lowell last year and transferring money from the sale.Property records show the real estate was a vacant lot worth about $80,000. It remains unclear where that money went, according to attorney Sol Cohen, who was present in court on Thursday.Jaiteh said while Braida was living in her home, she renovated the bathroom for his comfort, but later found issues with the work. She said she sold the property to use the money for more repairs. “The house was sinking,” she said. “He was living with me, no cost, everything nice, my own money.”She said any leftover funds from the property sale will go towards the settlement. “We can settle…for me it’s not about the money,” Jaiteh said. But Cohen said, “If she plans to pay it, she hasn’t yet so we would like to see that payment.” Jaiteh is now scheduled to appear at Cohen’s office in Wellesley for a deposition on Thursday, December 11, as ordered by a judge. Cohen said he hopes that the proceeding will reveal where the money from the property sale went.
A home health aide who admitted to taking $1.4 million from a man in her care, was back in court after missing depositions in an ongoing battle to settle with the family of the late Dr. Louis Braida.
“I still love Dr. Braida, he was a good man,” Fatumata Jaiteh told 5 Investigates outside a Middlesex Superior courtroom in Lowell on Thursday.
After taking a job as his health aide, Jaiteh had quickly become his power of attorney and admitted to a sexual relationship with the man, 5 Investigates previously reported. Braida was 79 when he died three years ago, still in Jaiteh’s care.
Braida’s family sued, and settled for $500,000 which Jaiteh agreed to pay, court documents show.
But Jaiteh hasn’t paid the full amount, leading to Thursday’s court hearing.
Records show she still owes about $168,000, and lawyers for Braida’s family said she violated court orders by selling property in Lowell last year and transferring money from the sale.
Property records show the real estate was a vacant lot worth about $80,000. It remains unclear where that money went, according to attorney Sol Cohen, who was present in court on Thursday.
Jaiteh said while Braida was living in her home, she renovated the bathroom for his comfort, but later found issues with the work.
She said she sold the property to use the money for more repairs.
“The house was sinking,” she said. “He was living with me, no cost, everything nice, my own money.”
She said any leftover funds from the property sale will go towards the settlement.
“We can settle…for me it’s not about the money,” Jaiteh said.
But Cohen said, “If she plans to pay it, she hasn’t yet so we would like to see that payment.”
Jaiteh is now scheduled to appear at Cohen’s office in Wellesley for a deposition on Thursday, December 11, as ordered by a judge. Cohen said he hopes that the proceeding will reveal where the money from the property sale went.
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