Woman suspected of stealing from nuns faces new charges

By ERIC LINDBERG — Jan. 2, 2010

A woman suspected of stealing $2,800 from a group of Santa Barbara nuns has been arrested on additional charges of financial elder abuse and grand theft, police officials said.

Denise D’Sant Angelo was taken into custody in Woodland Hills by the Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday in connection with a $70,000 felony arrest warrant issued by Santa Barbara police. Authorities offered few details about the investigation that led to the new charges, but said they are aware of two victims and believe there may be more.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department has an open investigation regarding Denise D'Sant Angelo and has reason to believe there may be additional victims,” according to a news release. “The [police department] asks that if you have had any suspicious business transactions with Denise D'Sant Angelo to call … 805-897-2335.”

Attempts to contact police officials yesterday for more information were not successful. Authorities noted that D’Sant Angelo had been out on bail at the time of her arrest and is scheduled to appear in court next month in connection with the theft case involving the Sisters of Bethany.

D’Sant Angelo had been charged with one count of felony grand theft after she allegedly stole donations from a group of local nuns who were evicted from their convent on Nopal Street in 2007 to free up money for a sex abuse settlement involving the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Community members had rallied behind the nuns and donated more than $13,000 to help them relocate. But prosecutors said D’Sant Angelo took the reins of a group called Save Our Sisters that was accepting checks on the nuns’ behalf and allegedly deposited 10 checks directed toward the sisters into her personal account.

She was also involved in an embezzlement case out of Ventura County dating back to 2005, in which she reportedly bilked a woman out of $18,700.

D’Sant Angelo has several court appearances scheduled in the coming weeks, including her arraignment on the new charges on Monday.

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elder abuse charges bogus : 1/5/2010

the accusations of elder abuse toward Denise D'SantAngelo are bogus, the alleged "victim" stood up in court and denied the charges. source: http://tiny.cc/q4oGE [Santa Barbara Independant]

Gretchen L.

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