Ex-Nurse Jailed for Ripping Off Vulnerable Cancer Patients
A former health care assistant has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing from critically ill cancer patients she was meant to care for. Mira Solmaz, 33, exploited their credit cards while they were isolated during the Covid lockdown, leaving victims feeling “violated and vulnerable.”
Fraudulent Spending on Vulnerable Patients’ Cards
Solmaz, from Hackney, east London, admitted to multiple counts of fraud at Southwark Crown Court. She used stolen cards to buy Apple AirPods, dental treatments, clothes, and even paid bailiffs. The court heard how she hid incriminating images on her phone inside a fake calculator app.
One victim, Hazel Longhurst, a cancer patient at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, found around £1,500 in unauthorised transactions while in hospital in April 2021. The theft was reported to police by her daughter.
Longhurst, who served the NHS for over 40 years, said: “I felt violated and vulnerable during my hospital stay. The ordeal was predatory and cruel, and it deeply shook my trust in hospital staff.”
More Victims Affected by Sinister Acts
Another victim, Todd Mallonee, also a cancer patient at the same hospital, discovered his credit card missing, along with £60 in cash and other valuables. His wife reported the theft in January 2021. Mallonee, who sadly passed away in April 2021 aged 48, had £360 in fraudulent charges linked to Solmaz’s actions.
Judge Slams ‘Calculated Betrayal’ of Patients
Judge Gregory Perrins described Solmaz’s crimes as a “calculated decision” that betrayed trust, particularly towards terminally ill patients. He acknowledged the “profound distress” caused to Mallonee during his battle with cancer.
Solmaz’s defence lawyer, Charlotte O’Connor, cited her client’s troubled personal life and mental health struggles but admitted the seriousness of the offences. She added Solmaz would never work in healthcare again — a sector she once loved and was well-respected in.
Police Condemn Heartless Exploitation
After the sentencing, Detective Constable Stacie Cottrell of City of London Police offered condolences to Mallonee’s family. She highlighted the grave breach of trust committed by Solmaz against some of society’s most vulnerable.
This case shines a harsh spotlight on the urgent need to protect vulnerable patients from abuse within healthcare settings. Mira Solmaz’s greed has left a dark stain on the NHS and shattered the recovery journeys of those she was sworn to help.
