A hot dog vendor stands outside of New York County Supreme Court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., January 7, 2026. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado
(New York, New York) – A former Manhattan apartment superintendent has been convicted of stealing more than $350,000 from a 101-year-old tenant after jurors found she abused his trust and exploited his declining health.
Rosalind Hernandez, 57, was found guilty on second- and third-degree larceny charges Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court. Prosecutors said Hernandez convinced centenarian Antonio Ruas to grant her power of attorney over his finances, then drained his accounts while he was abroad recovering from a serious fall.
“She took advantage of his advanced age and the fact that English wasn’t his first language,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement following the verdict.
Ruas, a retired diamond cutter originally from Brazil, testified through a Portuguese interpreter that Hernandez began plotting after he suffered a near-fatal fall in 2023 and returned to Brazil to be with family. He told jurors he believed Hernandez would sell his Chelsea apartment and transfer his funds, totaling about $700,000, to his Brazilian bank account. Months passed without a transfer, he said, even after he tipped her $100,000 for help settling his affairs.
Instead, prosecutors said, Hernandez used Ruas’ credit and debit cards to make thousands of dollars in personal purchases, including beauty products, clothing, and self-improvement subscriptions.
During the trial, Assistant District Attorney Raphaelle Monty described how Hernandez cultivated a close relationship with Ruas after his partner died during the COVID-19 pandemic – stopping by frequently, sharing meals, and offering to help manage his finances – before allegedly betraying that trust.
“Rosalind Hernandez stands convicted by a jury of her peers for abusing the trust of a 100-year-old, hardworking New Yorker to steal over half of his life savings,” Bragg said.
Jurors returned their verdict after just a few hours of deliberations following a four-day trial. Judge Daniel Conviser allowed Hernandez to remain free on bail pending sentencing. She faces up to 15 years in prison when she returns to court on March 11. Hernandez’s attorney declined to comment after the verdict.
