Wife Of Man Charged In Doctor’s Murder Now Behind Bars

LARGO, FL — While Anton Stragaj awaits trial in the 2014 murder of Tarpon Springs Dr. Steven Schwartz, his wife is now behind bars in the very same jail on unrelated charges. Largo Police announced Emirjoni "Lola" Como Stragaj’s arrest Thursday.

Police say Lola Stragaj, 38, was brought into custody on Wednesday following an investigation into the possible exploitation of an elderly woman. Lola Stragaj is accused of befriending an elderly woman with cognitive disabilities and then bilking her out of nearly $100,000.

The 81-year-old victim, an email from police said, gave Lola Stragaj power of attorney over her estate and then added her into her will.

“Stragaj is also believed to have moved the victim's money to new accounts and is suspected of spending the victim’s money on herself, filing fraudulent tax returns in the victim's name, as well as pawning and selling the victim's deceased husband's jewelry,” the email said.

Lola Stragaj was booked into the Pinellas County Jail Wednesday, Dec. 14. She was being held without bond as of Thursday. She faces one count of exploitation of the elderly and one count of fraudulent use of personal identification, jail records indicate. A hold is also been placed on her by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Anton Stragaj remained in the Pinellas County Jail Thursday without bond. The 37-year-old was arrested in March 2015 on first-degree murder charges in connection with Schwartz’s murder. Schwartz, a prominent local nephrologist, was found dead in his Tarpon Springs mansion in May 2014 after his wife Rebecca Schwartz reported a robbery.

A pre-trial hearing in Anton Stragaj’s case is set for Jan. 12, 2017, according to Pinellas County court records.

Booking photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail