A former horse riding instructor stole £8,400 from a frail grandmother while working as her cleaner.
Michaela Reeves, 31, stole four cheques from Olive Watmough after finding the bank book in a box next to her bed and then cashed them in her own bank account.
A judge said it was "difficult if not impossible to imagine a more serious breach of trust for a vulnerable old lady in her own home".
Reeves, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, claimed that a man had stolen the cheques during a burglary at the home in Oldham.
The former equestrian centre manager denied the theft and four counts of fraud - but was found guilty following a trial, reports Manchester Evening Live.
She broke down in tears as she was handed her suspended prison sentence by the judge, according to the publication.
Mrs Watmough, who was aged in her 80s, passed away before the case reached court.
During the scam, Reeves filled out increasing four-figure sums on the Yorkshire Bank payment slips and forged Mrs Watmough's signature.
A court heard she waited several weeks before banking each one day apart in a bid to avoid triggering alerts.
Three payments - for £1,900, £2,700 and £3,800 - cleared into her account but the court heard Reeves was caught when bank officials blocked a fourth deposit for £7,800 and began investigating.
When Mrs Watmough found out about the thefts, she was said to be "devastated" and told police "you just don't think someone you trust would do this.''
The bank covered the losses and Reeves was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.
Judge Recorder Graham Wells said: ''Your job was to clean her house and help her. You had unsupervised access to all areas of the house.
''As a cleaner, you were trusted, yet you searched for and found those cheques and you stole them from the book as part of a cunning plan.
"You made them out in increasing sums with time between them to try no doubt to slip them past the eyes of the bank and Mrs Watmough.
''It was several days and weeks after you had stolen those cheques, that you put the first one through."
In a statement before her death, Mrs Watmough described her ordeal as "devastating."
The thefts took place between December 2017 and February 2018 after Mrs Watmough hired Reeves via an agency.
Prosecutor Paul Dockery said: ''Mrs Watmough had a disability which meant she was unable to get around the house and clean.
"In the course of working at that home, four cheques went missing and were later used by the defendant and made out to her.
''Three transactions went through - the fourth did not. The last one was stopped by the bank.
"All the money was returned to the family by the bank, which made good Mrs Watmough's losses.
''When the jury returned their verdict, they offered their condolences to Mrs Watmough's family.
"In her reaction to the offending Mrs Watmough said 'you just don't think someone you trust would do this'."
Reeves has a 2006 caution for dishonesty, the court heard.
Keith Harrison, defending, said: ''She suffered significant stress whilst waiting for this case to be dealt with and it has had an impact on her mental health. She wants to put this behind her.
"Despite the fact she denies the offence, she realises the court has to respect the jury's verdict.''
Reeves was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation requirement days.
She will face a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act at a later date.
