Monday, November 9, 2026

Hollywood woman accused of taking over $170,000 from mother’s bank accounts

By Angie DiMichele

A Hollywood woman is facing two felonies more than a year after her mother discovered tens of thousands of dollars were siphoned from her retirement fund, a probable cause affidavit said.

Toborshia Carter, 48, faces one count of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult and one count of grand theft of the second-degree, court records show. She was booked into the Broward Main Jail on Thursday.

Carter’s mother reported to Hollywood Police in March 2025 that she had never received statements related to her Fidelity Investments retirement account and contacted the company about “fixing the security measures” on the account “that she did not set up,” the affidavit said.

After the woman received her statements and reviewed them, she alleged that daughter had been transferring money from the Fidelity Investments account to a Wells Fargo account registered to Carter’s son, according to the affidavit. She also found some transfers and withdrawals to other accounts that the woman told police were unauthorized.

Financial records of multiple bank accounts reviewed by Hollywood Police during the investigation showed Carter was a secondary owner of an account in which the woman received Social Security Administration benefits, the affidavit said. Carter’s name was also on the bank account that was solely funded by the Fidelity Investments transfers.

Toborshia Carter, 48, of Hollywood, was booked into the Main Jail on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (Broward Sheriff's Office/Courtesy)
Toborshia Carter, 48, of Hollywood, was booked into the Main Jail on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (Broward Sheriff's Office/Courtesy)

The bank records showed Carter’s personal account received more than $26,000 in transfers from the separate account that was only funded by the retirement investment payments between October 2024 and April 2025, the affidavit said. Money also was transferred to Carter’s personal account from the bank account in which Carter’s mother received Social Security payments.

Carter in a sworn statement to police in June 2025 said that any transfers from the account  funded by the Fidelity Investments deposits were authorized by her mother and that any money moved around was used for bills and the household because she and her children lived with Carter’s mother, according to the affidavit.

She also told police she did transfer money to her personal Wells Fargo account “but she would explain to her mother that she was short on funds,” and her mother would authorize the transfers, the affidavit said. Carter told police she asked her mother for money almost every month. Carter’s mother “vehemently” disputed her daughter’s statements that she authorized any transactions from the retirement fund.

In total, the financial loss for Carter’s mother totaled more than $170,000, according to the affidavit, with $80,600 coming from the retirement fund.

Full Article & Source:
Hollywood woman accused of taking over $170,000 from mother’s bank accounts 

Sunday, November 8, 2026

Caretakers in Broward accused of exploiting elderly clients arrested in separate cases

Karla Granda Pozada, 47, and Maureen Wade, 60, were arrested and accused of exploiting their elderly clients.

Full Article & Source:
Caretakers in Broward accused of exploiting elderly clients arrested in separate cases

Illegal Alien from India Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly Victims


For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine
 

Prakashkumar Prajapati defrauded eight victims in five states

PORTLAND, Maine: An Indian national was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to commit wire fraud.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Prakashkumar Prajapati, 47, to nine years in prison and ordered him to pay $1,897,386 in restitution. Prajapati pleaded guilty on January 15, 2026.

According to court records Prajapati conspired with others in a multi-state scheme to defraud at least eight victims in five states, including Maine. As part of the scheme, victims received telephone calls from individuals posing as government officials. These imposters instructed victims to withdraw cash and purchase gold to turn over to the government for safekeeping. The callers then arranged for victims to meet fake government agents to hand over the cash and gold. As part of the conspiracy, Prajapati directed his co-defendant Bharat Awasarmol to collect gold and cash from victims. Awasarmol was intercepted when FBI agents caught him accepting a package from a victim in Maine. The Maine victim had been instructed by an individual posing as an employee of the Federal Trade Commission to meet Awasarmol and provide him with gold bars. 

As part of the conspiracy, Prajapati and his coconspirators collected cash and gold from seven additional victims in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, all of whom had been deceived by individuals posing as government officials. As part of the conspiracy, Prajapati caused $1,897,386 in losses to the victims. 

Awasarmol pleaded guilty on December 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the wire fraud conspiracy charge and up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on a false statement charge. Awasarmol is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2027. 

The FBI investigated the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice is committed to aggressively combating elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and fraud. Between July of 2025 and July of 2026, the Department pursued nearly 350 criminal and civil enforcement actions against 712 defendants either charged with stealing, or alleged to have stolen, over $4.8 billion from over 700,000 victims. The Department also returned millions of dollars to older victims and helped to prevent tens of millions of dollars in losses from older Americans. But enforcement alone is not enough. Preventing fraud and abuse in the first place is always the best outcome. For more information on elder fraud and abuse, visit the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative website at justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder fraud, please call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11. 

###

Contact

Nicholas Scott, Assistant United States Attorney (Tel.: 207-780-3257) 

Source:
Illegal Alien from India Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly Victims

Saturday, November 7, 2026

THE FINAL FIGHT Official Trailer, Inspired by a True Story

by Todd J. Stein 

A man and his estranged father are reunited and pulled into a struggle with the father's mob-connected wife and her family. Confronting a corrupt order of guardianship, they find a way to heal old wounds and face the fight together...Coming Soon! 

Source:
THE FINAL FIGHT Official Trailer, Inspired by a True Story 

From Child Star to Courtroom: Erik von Detten Faces Elder Financial Abuse Lawsuit

The Allegations How the Relationship Began Trust Placed, Funds Transferred Discovered Years Later A Career Shift The Claims of Wrongful Gain What the Lawsuit Seeks Unanswered Questions and Next Steps

By Mark Lim


CALIFORNIA — Erik von Detten, the former child actor beloved by audiences for his roles in The Princess Diaries and as the voice of Sid in the Toy Story franchise, is now named in a civil lawsuit that alleges he helped defraud an elderly San Diego couple of more than $900,000. Filed May 11 in California, the complaint names von Detten and his former employer, precious metals firm Rosland Capital LLC, as defendants in a case that combines financial loss, claims of elder abuse, and a dramatic shift from public adoration to serious legal scrutiny.

The Allegations

Sheila and Norman Greenberg, aged 85 and 97, respectively, claim that between late 2020 and mid‑2021, they were persuaded to invest more than $2 million** in gold coins through Rosland Capital, where von Detten worked as a representative. According to their filing, the coins they purchased were worth far less than they paid, with losses exceeding **$900,000 from their retirement savings. The suit further alleges financial elder abuse, asserting that the defendants “knew or should have known” their actions would harm the couple and that they “wrongfully took” the substantial difference between market value and the price charged.

How the Relationship Began

The Greenbergs say they first reached out to Rosland Capital in 2020 after seeing the firm’s television commercials and becoming interested in opening a gold Individual Retirement Account (IRA). They were connected to von Detten, who, the complaint states, “explained that he was very knowledgeable in precious metals and precious metal IRA accounts and would make very specific recommendations that meet the Greenbergs’ needs, i.e., asset protection.” He reportedly encouraged the couple to “just leave the decision-making up to him,” assuring them he would guide them through rolling over funds from their existing retirement accounts into gold‑backed investments.

Trust Placed, Funds Transferred

Relying on those assurances, the Greenbergs authorized three separate purchases of hundreds of gold coins between October 2020 and August 2021. Crucially, they never took physical possession of the coins; instead, the items were sent directly to a third‑party storage facility in Delaware. The couple continued paying ongoing administrative and storage fees to maintain the accounts, believing their savings were secure.

The lawsuit alleges the coins “had virtually no value in excess of the then‑market value of the gold contained in the coins,” meaning the premiums charged were unjustified and far exceeded standard pricing. “Instead of helping them protect their hard‑earned wealth, Defendants helped themselves to it,” the complaint states.

Discovered Years Later

The Greenbergs remained unaware of the alleged disparity until 2025, when they began independently reviewing their investments and discovered what they describe as significant overcharging. By that point, hundreds of thousands of dollars were gone. “They were entirely unaware that they had been fleeced,” the filing notes. The delay in realisation underscores one of the challenges with alternative investments stored off‑site: without regular independent valuation, losses can accumulate unseen.

A Career Shift

For von Detten, 44, the case marks a striking turn in a life that began in the spotlight. He rose to fame as a child star in the 1990s, appearing in All I Want for Christmas, Leave It to Beaver, and opposite Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. He voiced Sid the sloth in the Toy Story films, stepping largely away from acting after 2010’s Toy Story 3, with only a single 2024 television movie credit since. His move into the financial sector drew little public attention until now.

The Claims of Wrongful Gain

Central to the Greenbergs’ argument is the assertion that the defendants knew or should have known the pricing was improper. The lawsuit alleges that von Detten and Rosland Capital “appropriated no less than $900,000” through excessive markups and commissions, with the additional charge of financial elder abuse, a serious legal designation that recognises heightened vulnerability and the exploitation of trust. If proven, it could result in significantly higher damage awards.

What the Lawsuit Seeks

The Greenbergs are asking the court to award them at least $900,000 in compensatory damages, plus additional amounts to be determined at trial potentially including punitive damages. A case management conference is scheduled for November 9, and as of this report, neither von Detten nor Rosland Capital has filed a formal response to the allegations in court.

Unanswered Questions and Next Steps

Representatives for von Detten did not respond to requests for comment; Rosland Capital issued a brief statement on July 2 but has not publicly addressed the specific claims. The legal process will now determine whether the couple’s allegations hold up and whether von Detten’s transition from beloved family‑film face to financial advisor carried professional obligations that were not honoured.

For now, the case stands as a cautionary tale: even familiar names and reassuring advertisements do not replace independent verification. And for two people in their ninth and tenth decades, the search for security has instead become a fight to recover what was meant to last a lifetime.

Full Article & Source:
From Child Star to Courtroom: Erik von Detten Faces Elder Financial Abuse Lawsuit 

See Also:
Former Disney star accused of elder abuse and fraud 

Friday, November 6, 2026

PAPER PRISONS: Missouri woman fights to bring brother home from public guardianship system

Michelle Anaya is working to become the guardian of her brother, Jeffrey Fitzgearlds, who has been institutionalized for nearly 20 years under Missouri's public guardianship system.


by Matt Flener 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —  Michelle Anaya is fighting to free her brother, Jeffrey Fitzgearlds, and bring him closer to home.

Anaya has spent years advocating for her brother, who has been under the state of Missouri's care as a ward of the state for nearly two decades.

"I've always been fighting for him, like even in school," Anaya said. "When he'd get teased, I'd fight the other kids."

Jeffrey is one of more than 11,000 people in Missouri living under the state's public guardianship system.

Jeffrey became a ward of the state after doctors recommended professional guardianship to his parents due to his mental illness and behavioral struggles. Now, Anaya is seeking to take over his care following the passing of their parents. She currently sees him during supervised visits at the Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center, located five hours away from Kansas City.

"My brother has been institutionalized for nearly 20 years," Anaya said. "I can literally see my life changing and evolving and growing. And his, it's stagnant. It's in a standstill."

Anaya has asked the court multiple times to allow her to assume guardianship from Alexa Summit, the Clay County public administrator, who oversees Jeffrey's care along with her deputies under judicial oversight. Summit's attorney, citing confidentiality, declined to comment on specific cases.

"While I appreciate the opportunity to respond, we must respect the confidentiality of the individuals whom the Public Administrator's office is tasked to serve as guardian and conservator for," said attorney Paemon Aramjoo, who represents the Clay County public administrator.

Anaya said it is often difficult to get answers from the Clay County public administrator's office regarding Jeffrey's care and her proposal to take over his guardianship. She has also spoken publicly, advocating for more oversight of the office.

She and other advocates lobbied Clay County's constitutional review committee earlier this year to push for more oversight of the Clay County public administrator's office, but ultimately, those changes did not happen.

Advocates across Missouri have echoed similar concerns, saying it is often challenging to get information from public administrators without going through the court system. KMBC 9 Investigates and the U.S. Department of Justice have highlighted issues within Missouri's public guardianship system, where thousands of wards live in nursing homes due to a lack of alternative placements.

KMBC is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship through a series of stories called Paper Prisons. The stories highlight people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders. KMBC is also seeking answers, perspective and context from those in charge of keeping wards of the state in their care for their recommendations on how to improve the system. Often, those tasked with caring for wards of the state say they do not have enough resources or treatment facilities close to the person's home.

Public administrators have reported growing caseloads and have asked state lawmakers for increased funding and improved laws to better care for Missouri's most vulnerable residents.

Meanwhile, Anaya will keep fighting to bring her brother home.

"He needs natural connection. He needs family," Anaya said. "That's how people feel connected. That's how they have security."

If you know of someone going through struggles with Missouri's public guardianship system, or if you have a case to highlight that explores solutions for Missouri's public guardianship system that could teach lessons to others, please email investigates@kmbc.com.

Full Article & Source:
PAPER PRISONS: Missouri woman fights to bring brother home from public guardianship system

See Also:
Woman receives guardianship termination after sharing her story with KMBC 9 Investigates

Paper Prisons: Missouri woman seeking release from public guardianship

Missouri woman shares journey of restoration from public guardianship
 

Judge questions former Sullivan County public guardian about multiple guardianship cases 

Judge: Missouri public guardian’s felony financial crime case can move forward

Missouri public guardian pleads not guilty to eight felony counts

Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward

Paper Prisons: Missouri woman details struggle to leave public guardianship after husband's death

Paper Prisons: Missouri man continues fight to free his mother from public guardianship 

Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person   

Thursday, November 5, 2026

California Appeals Court Revives Elder Abuse and Fiduciary Duty Claims Against Morgan Stanley and Financial Advisor John Privitelli, Reopening Decades of Account History for Trial, According to Reif Law Group, P.C.

Court rules account gains do not defeat the financial elder abuse claim, reverses the trial court's 2010 cutoff, and holds that claims involving alleged tax and estate-planning advice cannot be dismissed as a matter of law


LOS ANGELES, October 13, 2026
--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reif Law Group, P.C. today announced that the California Court of Appeal has reversed a judgment that ended its clients' case against Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC and financial advisor John R. Privitelli after the close of plaintiffs' evidence at trial. The appellate court held that gains in the account did not defeat the plaintiffs' financial elder abuse claim as a matter of law, and it reversed a ruling that had limited the case to the final 21 months of a relationship that lasted roughly two decades.

In Adam DeVone et al. v. Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC et al., the Second Appellate District, Division Three, reversed the judgment in every respect but one. The case involves the estate of Maurice Voce, a barber and self-taught investor who died in 2012 at age 93. According to the opinion, Voce began trading options with Morgan Stanley's predecessor firm in the 1980s, and Privitelli took over his accounts in the 1990s, when Voce was age 74, and worked with him continuously until June 2012, communicating with him "pretty much daily," according to evidence the court cited.

The Full Relationship Is Back in the Case

The trial court found the lawsuit timely, then ruled that no conduct before September 11, 2010 could support liability or damages. The Court of Appeal held that was error. Once a claim is timely, the court explained, the plaintiff is "entitled to seek recovery for the full course of the wrongful conduct underlying that cause of action," and the statute of limitations does not "operate to constrain the scope of actionable conduct."

The court also rejected the defendants' alternative argument under the continuous accrual doctrine. Describing the doctrine generally, the court noted that it is designed to operate in a plaintiff's favor, and that the defendants' attempt to use it to confine the conduct for which plaintiffs may recover "inverts its purpose." The court held that disputed questions about when the plaintiffs knew or should have known of their claims are for the jury to decide.

In reviewing the elder abuse claim, the Court of Appeal described trial evidence reaching well before the 2010 cutoff. According to the opinion, in 1998, when Voce was 79, Morgan Stanley sent him a letter memorializing restrictions limiting his account to a covered-call strategy and capping his uncovered options positions, and a 1999 internal Morgan Stanley communication referred to reining in uncovered options because of his age while making an exception for Privitelli's branch. The court also described evidence of a February 2009 margin call after the account had fallen by nearly half over the prior year, and a roughly $900,000 loan the trusts obtained to pay off the margin debt.

Plaintiffs contend the 2010 cutoff removed most of the relationship from the case. Based on plaintiffs' analysis of the account records, Voce's accounts reflected approximately 30,690 trades and approximately $2.0 million in trading costs from 1993 to 2012, roughly 98 percent of which predate September 2010. The Court of Appeal noted plaintiffs' expert testimony that options positions expire and are generally replaced, with each replacement generating a new commission.

Account Gains Do Not Defeat the Elder Abuse Claim

The trial court dismissed the elder abuse claim after finding that "the account only grew in value," and the defendants pointed to approximately $4.2 million in net gains from 2010 to 2012. The Court of Appeal held that was error. California's Elder Abuse Act asks what a defendant "knew or should have known" at the time of the conduct, not only how the trades turned out. "Under the Elder Abuse Act, a defendant who exposes an elder to a foreseeable risk of harm does not escape liability merely because the risk did not materialize," the court wrote. The court also held that proof of a wrongful taking under the Act does not require evidence of a net financial loss.

The court described evidence that Privitelli received a December 2010 email from the family describing Voce's memory lapses, disorientation and declining health, and that Privitelli testified he was "on notice" of Voce's cognitive impairment in early 2011 and executed trades on Voce's instructions during that period. Asked at trial whether those reports should have been escalated to risk management or a supervisor, Privitelli answered, "Sure. It should have been." The court also noted testimony that Morgan Stanley had the right to revoke the trading authorization at any time, and held that a jury could weigh the firm's decision not to do so.

Claims Involving Alleged Tax and Estate-Planning Advice Are Revived

The trial court had also barred claims over alleged tax and estate-planning advice because the defendants were not hired or paid to give it. The Court of Appeal held that the scope of a broker's fiduciary duty depends on the facts of the relationship as a whole, including its duration and any advice actually given, not solely on the terms of a formal engagement. The court cited evidence of Privitelli's near-daily contact with Voce over the relationship, his Certified Financial Planner designation, and evidence that he told the trusts' estate planning attorney he had advised Voce on the tax treatment of certain gifts. Plaintiffs allege that tax advice resulted in approximately $640,000 in interest and penalties, and that related advice led to a split-dollar life insurance policy and costs exceeding $700,000. 

"The defendants asked the courts to judge this case by the account balance, and the Court of Appeal disagreed," said Brandon S. Reif, of Reif Law Group, P.C., counsel for the plaintiffs. "The Elder Abuse Act asks what a financial professional knew or should have known at the time. The trial court's cutoff excluded, by our count, roughly 98 percent of the trading in this account. The Court of Appeal restored that history, and we look forward to presenting the full record to a jury."

"When a family raises concerns about an older client's cognitive decline, those concerns deserve serious attention," Reif added. "In our view, a profitable account is not a license to ignore reported concerns of mental decline due to a client aging."

The court affirmed dismissal of one theory, a breach of fiduciary duty claim based on excessive trading, and reversed the judgment in all other respects. The court emphasized that its ruling does not compel a finding of liability. The allegations have not been proven, and the defendants dispute them. The case returns to the Los Angeles County Superior Court for a new trial.

Case: Adam DeVone et al. v. Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC et al., California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Three, Case No. B339219. Opinion filed October 8, 2026.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Senators part of hearing on isolation


PITTSBURGH - U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, a member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a field hearing in Pittsburgh last week alongside U.S. Sen. John Fetterman examining loneliness and social isolation among older Pennsylvanians and how federal programs can better help seniors stay connected to their communities.

"Pennsylvania seniors helped build our communities, worked our mills and mines, and served our country, and they deserve to stay connected," said McCormick. "Today's hearing is about finding practical ways to reach isolated seniors and ensuring local organizations across Pennsylvania have the support they need to help."

Pennsylvania is home to more than 2.5 million residents age 65 and older, and that population continues to grow. For many seniors, losing a spouse, living far from family, or no longer being able to drive can make it harder to stay connected. Social isolation is not just a quality-of-life issue; it can have serious consequences for older Americans' health and well-being.

"I've always believed in the importance of connecting forgotten communities and making sure they aren't left behind. That includes our aging neighbors and the often unaddressed needs they have," said Senator Fetterman. "Hearing that Meals on Wheels might be the only human contact older folks have that week is alarming. Social isolation and loneliness are serious issues, and I'm grateful for the witnesses' testimony today and understanding how we can better serve the community."

The hearing featured four experts in aging services and research, representing Allegheny County, Penn State, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, and Meals on Wheels of Lancaster.

Witnesses discussed how the Older Americans Act can better support meal delivery, senior centers, transportation, and other services that help seniors stay connected. Pennsylvania receives approximately $45 million annually through the Act. Senator McCormick cosponsored its bipartisan reauthorization, which passed the Senate unanimously in July. 

Full Article & Source:
Senators part of hearing on isolation 

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Jason Taylor Sentenced for Financially Exploiting Family Members

For Immediate Release
Date: November 02, 2026


Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that Jason Taylor, age 38, of Pelham, New Hampshire has been sentenced in Hillsborough County Superior Court Southern District for financially exploiting family members through a scheme that caused more than $260,000 in losses.

Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of financial exploitation and two counts of theft by deception. The charges stemmed from a scheme in which Taylor fabricated a fictitious legal case and created false correspondence purportedly from attorneys, a prosecutor, and the Chief Justice of the United States. He used the fabricated documents to persuade family members to provide money, promising that the funds would be reimbursed.

“Financial exploitation can have devastating consequences, particularly when someone abuses the trust of family members who believe they are helping a loved one,” said Attorney General Formella. “Protecting older adults from fraud and financial abuse is an important responsibility of this office. We will continue to hold those who exploit vulnerable adults accountable under the law.”

The court sentenced Taylor to 2½ to 5 years, stand committed, on the financial exploitation charges, and 7½ to 15 years, all suspended, on the theft by deception charges. As a condition of his suspended sentences, Taylor is prohibited from working with or serving as a fiduciary for any elderly, disabled, or impaired adult. The court also ordered Taylor to pay a total of $260,048.69 in restitution to the victims.

The case was prosecuted by the New Hampshire Department of Justice Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit and investigated in conjunction with the Hudson and Pelham Police Departments.

Anyone who believes they or a loved one may be the victim of elder abuse or financial exploitation should contact local law enforcement, the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services (www.nheasy.nh.gov), and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) and report the incident promptly. Quick reporting may improve the chances of recovering stolen funds and prevent additional victimization.
 

Contact
Michael S. Garrity, Director of Communications
(603) 931-9375 | michael.s.garrity@doj.nh.gov
Nancy A. DeAngelis, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Chief, Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit
(603) 271-3671 | Nancy.A.DeAngelis@doj.nh.gov

Source:
Jason Taylor Sentenced for Financially Exploiting Family Members