Melissa Meole, 34, of North Branford, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging her with multiple embezzlement, fraud and identity theft offenses. Meole appeared before US Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was released on a $200,000 bond. As alleged in the criminal complaint, Meole was employed by Bridgeport Health Care Center Inc. (“BHCC-INC”), a corporation that operates a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Bridgeport known as Bridgeport Health Care Center (“BHCC”). Prior to November 2018, BHCC-INC also operated a second nursing and rehabilitation facility in Bridgeport known as Bridgeport Manor. Meole worked in BHCC-INC’s business office and was responsible for processing payroll and for handling the finances of the Bridgeport Manor resident trust account. Between approximately January and October 2018, Meole embezzled approximately $150,000 from the BHCC and Bridgeport Manor resident trust accounts. In addition, the complaint alleges that Meole stole more than $29,000 from BHCC-INC in the form of payroll checks, which she deposited into her personal bank account. It is further alleged that, after Meole’s employment with BHCC-INC was terminated in October 2018, Meole defrauded another employer of more than $9,000, and she defrauded multiple banks in an identity theft and check kiting scheme.
