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Nurse Arrested, Accused Of Stealing From Man With Terminal Cancer

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By LISA A. DAVIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

WESLEY CHAPEL - Victor Johnson paid a registered nurse $1,000 a week to take care of him while he waited for terminal cancer to take its course.

But, investigators say, the nurse wanted more money.

On Thursday, Sharon Amberslie was booked into the Land O' Lakes Jail on charges of grand theft, exploitation of the elderly and grand theft auto.

Months before he died on Sept. 15, 2006, Johnson hired Amberslie to care for him at his home at 30136 Moss Bank Drive, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report. As his condition worsened, Amberslie moved in to the home; she left shortly after Johnson died, less than a week after he went into hospice care in Dade City.

The day after her 63-yer-old client's death, Amberslie registered his 2005 black Acura SUV in her name, a report states.

Then Johnson's heirs, most of whom live in Jamaica, noticed that money was missing from his Washington Mutual accounts. Two banks began a fraud investigation, and sheriff's detectives got involved.

They discovered that Amberslie had removed $101,000 from Johnson's two accounts, including transferring $75,000 to her account at another bank, a report states.

Days before Johnson's death, his sister Sheila Williams received a phone call from Amberslie, who was upset that he hadn't included her in the will and that only relatives would benefit from his estate, according to a report. The family couldn't figure out how Amberslie got access to Johnson's will, the sister told authorities.

After conducting their own investigation, Pasco detectives transferred the case to the state attorney's office, which reviewed it and filed formal charges in October.

Amberslie, 46, was arrested on that warrant this week in Port St. Lucie, where she was living, and was transferred to Pasco County. She was being held Friday with bail set at $300,000.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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