A woman from the Tampa area was sentenced to 18 months in prison for fraud involving senior citizens. According to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber sentenced Victoria Zerillo (49, Riverview) to 18 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement of funds from a senior citizen residential community. As part of the sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $410,963.78, the proceeds of the wire fraud. Zerillo entered a guilty plea on August 18, 2023.

Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie prosecuted the case. According to court documents, Zerillo was employed as a general manager of a non-profit that provided HVAC, appliance, and plumbing repair services to members of a senior citizen residential community. From December 2015 through November 2022, Zerillo and others conspired to commit wire fraud and embezzled more than $400,000 from the non-profit by creating false and fraudulent bank statements and destroying records. Zerillo spent the money on personal expenses, including luxury vacations. At sentencing, members of the senior citizen community testified that Zerillo’s embezzlement significantly harmed them financially.