February 2, 2010

Nursing Home Employee Charged with Financial Abuse

A nursing home employee was stealing from nursing home residents. The 44-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of fraudulent use of credit cards, petit theft, financial exploitation of the elderly, bank fraud, grand theft and fraudulent use of personal identification information. At first nursing home residents reported missing checks at the retirement community. However, later there were many more items missing from the home. One elderly victim reported that the employee stole a $5,000 14-karat charm bracelet and a $2,5000 ring from her. Another elderly victim had an expensive necklace and gold chain taken. The woman then is accused of taking the items to a pawn shop. Financial exploitation of the elderly has become a common form of elderly abuse. If you or someone you love has been a victim of nursing home theft, consult a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer. To read more about this specific nursing home employee, please check out the link

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial abuse and exploitation

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January 22, 2010

Woman Charged with Identity Theft at a Nursing Home

A nursing-home worker is accused of stealing the identity of a resident living under her care. Employees at the nursing home contacted the Sheriff’s department when they received credit card statements for the resident with charges that had not been authorized. She supposedly bought furniture, a television and other items with the resident’s credit card and forged the resident’s signature to steal money from two bank accounts. She is accused of taking $16,000 from the elderly resident. Financial exploitation of nursing home residents has become all too commonplace. To learn more about this incident of financial exploitation and elder abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial abuse and exploitation

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January 5, 2010

Woman Arrested on Charges of Financial Elder Abuse

A woman suspected of stealing $2,800 from a group of nuns has been arrested on additional charges of financial elder abuse and grand theft. The police have reason to believe that there are additional victims of the financial abuse. She allegedly stole donations from a group of local nuns who were evicted from their convent to free up money for a sex abuse settlement involving the Archdioceses. She took the reins of a group called Save Our Sisters that was accepting checks on the nuns’ behalf and allegedly deposited 10 checks directed toward the sisters into her personal account. Financial exploitation has become an all too common form of elderly abuse. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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December 31, 2009

Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Illinois Nursing Home Theft

An Illinois judge has handed down a 15-year-prison sentence to a Quincy, Illinois woman who admitted to bilking a nursing home out of $14,500. The defendant pleaded guilty last month to stealing form the North Adams Home in Mendon. She was charged with forgery, theft and obstruction of justice. The woman now has 18 felony convictions. It is important for nursing homes to conduct background checks on all employees to avoid financial abuse. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Financial abuse and exploitation, Incidents

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November 13, 2009

Ex-Caregiver Gets 4 Years for Stealing

The former caretaker for a 93-year-old retired Springfield, Illinois pathologist has been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution for stealing thousands of dollars from her employer. The 65-year-old criminal was convicted by a jury in September of financial exploitation of the elderly and financial exploitation of a person with a disability. While the caretaker worked for the woman she received “gifts” of thousands of dollars for herself and relatives, used the victim’s money for car repairs and used the money to buy a $43,000 van. She had already obtained the doctor’s power of attorney both for finances and for health care. The judge called the employee the “worst nightmare” for family members who have to depend on someone else to care for an elderly loved one. Financial abuse has become the most common form of elderly abuse. To read more about the Illinois elderly abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation, Nursing Home Abuse

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November 3, 2009

Woman Uses Power of Attorney to Rip off Elderly Man

A South Pekin, Illinois woman was arrested for allegedly bilking an elderly man out of cars, loans and his pension money. The 38-year-old woman was arrested for financial exploitation of the elderly, forgery and altering titles. In August, the son of an 83-year-old Pekin man called police saying he feared his elderly father had been the victim of financial exploitation by the father’s power of attorney. During the investigation, police learned that the woman had also convinced the victim to maker her his beneficiary at the time of his death. He had been coerced by the woman to take out loans on the homes he owned to help the woman open a business. Financial exploitation has become one of the most common forms of elderly abuse. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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September 21, 2009

Woman Accused of Stealing at the Nursing Home

An employee at a nursing home was arrested and has been charged with stealing from the nursing home and several of its residents. According to the police department after the employee was arrested after the home’s chief long-term care officer reported the center had information showing an employee had been stealing. The woman was taken by the police where she was charged with theft by deception, theft by taking and financial exploitation of the elderly. The employee has been charged with stealing more than $4,000 from the elderly residents. She would take the money for the families and then not deposit them into the appropriate accounts. The police stated that the employee also stole from the facility be taking payment of services not provided to residents. The theft was not from the nursing home, but rather the individual residents. The nursing home stated that applicants go through criminal background checks and that nothing was found on the employee’s record. Criminal background checks are crucial to a nursing home’s process of hiring employees in order to guarantee that they are free from nursing home abuse. This case also highlights that financial exploitation has become one of the most common forms of elderly abuse in these troubling economic times. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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September 13, 2009

Task Force Gives Advice on How to Protect Seniors

As the wife of Baby Boomers hits 65, the need for elder abuse awareness is hitting an all time high. Elderly people become vulnerable to financial abuse by relatives, caretakers and a range of helpers. Experts in preventing financial exploitation suggest the following safeguards:
 Never advertise for a caretaker, handyman or driver. You should find them through senior centers or other trusted sources
 Get references and hire companies to do a background check
 Make a plan as you age to find someone you trust with your finances
 Consider a professional conservator who has a financial plan that is registered with a judge
 Be careful with newfound friends
 Beware of salespeople who are trying to scare you into buying something at extravagant prices.
Follow these steps to avoid becoming a victim of elderly abuse. If you or a loved one has experienced financial exploitation, consult an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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September 12, 2009

New Legislation Passed To Protect Elderly

Financial abuse by someone that an elderly member trusted is now becoming a lot more difficult to do in one state. New legislation that went into effect radically changed the power-of-attorney document. Legislators believed that this elder abuse legislation comes at the perfect time, since financial abuse is one of the fastest growing areas of elder abuse. Now, the power-of-attorney is much more difficult to obtain. Both the principal and the agent must sign the POA and the signature must be notarized. The document specifically states that when you accept the authority to act as an agent, you create a special fiduciary relationship with the principal that imposes legal responsibilities until you resign or the power of attorney is terminated. The principal can also appoint a monitor to insure that they are not the victim of financial exploitation. It also makes it easier to bring a civil suit against an agent who has acted inappropriately. This new elder abuse legislation is extremely important in combating financial abuse, and should be implemented in Illinois. To read more about the new legislation, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation, Legislation

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September 5, 2009

Caretaker Pleads not Guilty to Stealing From Elderly Employer

A woman pled not guilty today to charges that she financially exploited more than $15,000 for a 93-year-old woman for whom she was employed to provide at-home care. The 49-year-old employee is charged with elder financial abuse by a caretaker, a penalty punishable by up to four years in prison. The woman was arrested after her employer’s bank became suspicious about checks that had been deposited and contacted the police. The county’s prosecutor stated that the employee forged 42 checks totality $15,395 from the woman’s account. Financial abuse has become one of the most common forms of elderly abuse. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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August 27, 2009

Former Housekeeper Commits Financial Exploitation of Elderly

An elderly abuse lawsuit alleges that a housekeeper cleaned out most of her client’s accounts. It alleges that she took more than $1.4 million from a retired couple with serious medical ailments. The elderly abuse lawsuit claims that the woman bought fancy cruises and a quickie wedding in Vegas with the money she stole from the seniors. In the couple, one had Alzheimer’s and the other was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. This case highlights the growing problem of financial elder abuse. The elderly are particularly susceptible to the financial scams because they often feel isolated and are quick to trust new friends. In one county alone 1,141 cases of financial elder abuse occurred. This does not count other allegations of elder abuse and neglect. To read more about the financial abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: Failure to Report Abuse, Financial abuse and exploitation

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August 23, 2009

Woman is sentenced for Financially Exploiting Elderly Man

A woman who was convicted in June of financially exploiting and neglecting the care of an elderly man was sentenced to probation. While the judge believed that the woman was responsible for the financial abuse she also felt that the state bore as much responsibility for the elder abuse and neglect. The judge believed that the victim should have never been placed with the woman in the first place. The man had resided in the nursing home where the woman was employed, but in 2005 the family allowed the victim to move in with the employee, her husband and children. There was no regulation from the state, and the employee only needed the word of the elderly man in order to take over the man’s care and receive his Social Security payments. When the man was removed from the woman’s home, he was dehydrated, malnourished and covered in bed sores. It was evident that the man had not been receiving care for about nine months. This story highlights the need for more state oversight when it comes to the care of the elderly. To read more about the financial abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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August 15, 2009

While Economy Struggles, Elder Financial Exploitation is on the Rise

Advocates for the elderly are seeing more cases of financial exploitation of senior citizens as the recession wears on. This elder abuse ranges from taking advantage of an aging relative to fraud. One victim was financially exploited by her at-home care giver. The problem is that older Americans tend to have steady incomes and trusting hearts. Victims are also afraid to report elder abuse. There are many signs that a senior is being financially exploited. They include:
 Unusual bank activity, including withdrawals at ATMs the senior does not live near
 Signatures on checks and documents that do not match the senior’s signature
 Unexplained changes in spending patterns or unusual purchases
 Sudden change in who has power of attorney

To read more about financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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August 10, 2009

Daughter and Grandson Arrested in Will County Woman’s Death

The daughter and grandson of a 91-year-old woman have been arrested on elderly neglect charges as a result of the woman’s death. The police arrested the two after suspecting that the elderly woman had been dead for some time before the authorities were notified. The suspicious conditions surrounding the woman’s death led to an autopsy. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was “inanition and dehydration due to elder neglect.” This means that the woman’s death was caused by lack of food and water. The coroner even went as far as ruling the victim’s death a homicide. The two were charged in Will County, Illinois with two counts of criminal neglect of an elderly person and financial exploitation of an elderly person. Investigations had reveled that the two had taken money from the woman’s accounts. Unfortunately, elderly abuse oftentimes comes at the hands of a family member. To read more about the Illinois elder neglect, please click the link.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Financial abuse and exploitation, Incidents, Nursing Home Abuse, Wrongful Death

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August 6, 2009

Couple Steals Millions from Alzheimer’s Patient

A former doctor who had progressive Alzheimer’s disease and dementia was defrauded out of nearly $4 million dollars of her assets. The woman’s attorney has filed a financial exploitation lawsuit seeking $3.9 million in damages against the German couple who defrauded the former doctor. The elderly abuse lawsuit alleges that a German couple who owned a spa where the victim spent her last years used fraud and undue influence to financially exploit the victim. The lawsuit states that the couple illegally transferred nearly $4 million of the woman’s assets for their own benefit. It claims that the German couple was granted power of attorney over the victim’s affairs in 2007 and overseers of her will during her stay at the German spa. Financial exploitation has become one of the most common forms of elderly abuse. To read more about the elderly abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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August 2, 2009

Former Nursing Home Worker Arrested for Elderly Abuse and Theft

The former director of social work at a nursing home was arrested after being indicted by a grand jury on nursing home abuse and theft charges. The man was indicted for one count of willful abuse neglect or exploitation of a dependent adult, one count of theft over $10,000 and two counts of theft over $1,000. The man was employed at the nursing home when he obtained property and cash from a resident of the facility who was incapable of making financial decisions. The man was arrested after an investigation by the Bureau and the Field Examination Unit of the Veterans Administration. He is currently on bond. Financial exploitation has become the most common form of elderly neglect. If you or a loved one has experienced this type of elderly abuse, find an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the nursing home abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Abuse, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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July 26, 2009

Son Charged with Financial Abuse of an Elder

A man has been charged for financially exploiting his 77-year-old mother who suffered from dementia and was living in a nursing home. Since she moved into the nursing home 18 months ago, her 54-year-old son began cashing her pension checks, took out a reverse mortgage on her home, and wrote checks to himself for large sums of money. He was often seen accompanying his mother to the bank across the street where he would cash these checks. Bank officials noticed this suspicious activity and contacted police, who arrested him on one of his trips to the bank. This kind of financial exploitation targeting the elderly frequently happens when people take advantage of an older person’s weak physical or mental state. To read more about this case of elderly financial abuse, follow the link.

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Posted In: Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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July 25, 2009

How to Recognize Elder Abuse

According to a recent article, The National Center on Elder Abuse has estimated that among people 65 years and older, 1 to 2 million have been abused or exploited. In order to protect this vulnerable population, it is important to understand the various forms of elder abuse and to be able to recognize these issues. Some types of elder abuse include financial exploitation, self-neglect or caregiver negligence, and physical abuse. An article in the Bend Bulletin offers an in- depth explanation of the different types of elder abuse, along with ways to spot and prevent abuse from happening to a loved one. Follow the link to view the entire article on recognizing elder abuse.

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Posted In: Financial abuse and exploitation, Nursing Home Abuse, Nursing Home Negligence

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July 15, 2009

Woman Files Nursing Home Negligent Lawsuit against Owner for $2.9 million

A woman is suing the owner of two assisted living facilities for more than $2.9 million in damages, alleging he violated state regulations by using her personal checking account for nearly 5 years. The woman was a resident in two assisted living facilities during the five year span. The nursing home negligence lawsuit alleged violations began when the owner obtained the victim’s power of attorney, and then began making deposits into and withdrawals from her personal checking account. The financial exploitation in question range from small amounts to larger denominations of well over $1,000. The man was using the elderly woman’s account as his own personal bank account. The nursing home negligence lawsuit states that the owner unlawfully mingled his personal and business funds with his assets. Additionally, the suit alleges that the victim was not given access to her account records and she was not given identification when she was allowed to read the nursing home. Financial exploitation of the elderly has become all too commonplace at nursing homes throughout the country. To read more about the nursing home lawsuit, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial abuse and exploitation

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May 12, 2009

Area Nursing Home Employee is charged with Theft

A nursing home employee has been charged with felonies in the theft of a credit card from a patient at the home. The police say the 25-year-old employee stole a credit card and then tried to get money from the ATM machine. A bank employee called the police to report suspicious activity and the man threw the credit card in the trash can. He was charged with grand larceny, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of stolen property. Financial exploitation of the elderly has become all too common. To read more about the financial abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: National Nursing Homes, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

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The purpose of this blog is to deliver news and information that is relevant to our areas of practice. The news and information reported on this blog represent the legal actions of attorneys throughout the United States. Our firm does not claim to represent plaintiffs in all of the lawsuits, settlements, and jury verdicts reported, only those noted as Levin & Perconti cases.

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