SAN JOSE — Two caregivers have been charged with elder abuse and fraud for allegedly abusing residents at an unlicensed care home while receiving Medi-Cal payments, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Wednesday.
Lavinia Fotuaiki and Segia Poti Jackson are facing two felony counts of elder abuse and one felony count of dependent adult abuse, according to a press release from the California Department of Justice. Fotuaiki is also facing one felony count of filing a false claim. The charges were filed with the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
“Those who care for our elders have a profound responsibility to treat those in their care with the highest level of compassion and dignity,” Bonta said in a press release. “They support individuals during some of the most challenging moments in their lives. At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to fighting against all types of elder abuse and neglect. We will take prompt action to ensure that anyone who exploits or harms these vulnerable members of our community is held accountable.”
The Department of Justice had received a complaint referred from the California Department of Social Services reporting alleged neglect of residents at the San Jose care home, the department said. The alleged abuse included leaving residents’ medical issues untreated and having residents live in biohazardous conditions.
During the alleged abuse, the caregivers were receiving in-home support service payments through Medi-Cal, the department said.
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Between Sept. 14, 2022 and Sept. 3, 2024, Fotuaiki and Poti Jackson allegedly willfully endangered the health of an elder dependent adult who was over the age of 80, according to court filings. The second charge alleges they did the same to a second dependent adult between April 1, 2023 and March 11, 2025. The second victim was above the age of 68.
Fotuaiki and Poti Jackson also allegedly caused “unjustifiable physical pain and mental suffering” to a third dependent adult, according to court filings.
The three abuse charges also allege aggravated circumstances for a high degree of callousness and particularly vulnerable victims, according to court filings.