News

By Mary Thurwachter
    
    The director of sales and marketing for The Carlisle Palm Beach and her husband have been charged with money laundering, organized fraud and grand theft.
    Lantana police arrested Natasha Deonath and her husband, Rodney Jagessar, of Lake Worth, last month after Deonath’s employer accused her of stealing $104,000 from the business.
    According to the police report, Lantana police got a call on Oct. 6 from Justin Brown, executive director of the six-story community at 450 E. Ocean Ave. in Lantana, about an employee who was possibly stealing from the business.
Officials at the senior living facility noticed that one real estate agent was being paid for an unusually high amount of referrals.
    Carlisle officials suspected Deonath, 38, of receiving kickbacks for referrals to the senior living residence. Many of the referrals came from Realtor Glenn Gatti,  63, of Royal Palm Beach, according to the police report.
    Fourteen people listed as being referred by Gatti said they did not know him, according to the police report.
    Deonath told police that she received a salary and commission for each person who rents an apartment. Investigators determined that Gatti would receive checks for referrals to the Carlisle, but that some of the apartments were never rented and some were already occupied. Police said that Gatti would, in turn, send checks to Deonath. Some of them were endorsed by Jagessar, 41, a Lake Worth Realtor.
    When people arrived to sign leases without a real estate agent, Deonath would sign paperwork and say that Gatti had referred them, according to the police report.
    Gatti, who said he received between 30 and 40 checks, worked with the police and said he is willing to repay the Carlisle and didn’t want to lose his job, according to the police report.
    Deonath and Jagessar were released from Palm Beach County Jail after each posted a $45,000 bond.
    In a statement released after the arrests, Brown wrote:
    “We recently discovered financial irregularities that warranted further review of a certain employee at The Carlisle Palm Beach. The financial irregularities in question did not involve any resident accounts, nor has it affected the quality of services and care we provide to our residents every day.
    “We immediately conducted a full review of the matter and made the decision to contact the appropriate authorities.
“The Lantana Police Department then initiated an investigation that has since resulted in the arrest of the employee, who is now no longer employed by the Carlisle.”