Robert De Niro Housekeeper Offered Plea Deal  1/11/06

Robert De Niro's former housekeeper, who has been indicted on charges of stealing from the actor and other celebrity employers, has been offered a plea deal of one to three years in prison to settle all charges against her.

Polish immigrant Lucyna Turyk-Wawrynowicz has been indicted twice - once on grand larceny and other charges related to the alleged theft for her former employers - De Niro and his wife Grace Hightower, Boston Legal star Candice Bergen and socialite Renee Rockefeller, and five years ago (01) she was accused to stealing the identity of an eight-year-old girl.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Renee White said on Tuesday (10JAN06) the prosecution would not pursue additional charges against Turyk-Wawrynowicz, 35, if she accepted the plea deal.

Her lawyer Mark T Zawisny said his client would consider the plea offer because she could face a potential new charges relating to the alleged fraudulent use of a Social Security card.

Zawisny will also have to consider Turyk-Wawrynowicz's immigration status after a US official declared last month (DEC05) she was not admissible as a resident alien because she used fraud to remain in the United States.

Last August (05), Turyk-Wawrynowicz admitted in court she only stole from Hightower because she was so mean to her.